Home is Wherever You Are
by BlueAlseides
Summary: A story of Neville and Luna from the Battle of Hogwarts and onwards.  It is not always smooth sailing but no relationship truly is.  A relationship takes work, doubly so if it is to be a happy one.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

The silence was deafening. Neville Longbottom had never seen any Muggle war movies or read any war stories so he was unfamiliar with that phrase. Even so, he was now completely familiar with it. With the battle over, it was strange for everything to be so quiet. There were people moving about and voices speaking. There was also plenty of weeping and the occasional heart-rending wail from someone recently discovering the loss of one dear to them. What was strange to Neville was the lack of explosions, cursing, sounds of spells streaking past, and shouted incantations. Even with all the noise still present, it seemed oddly quiet without the sounds of battle. Neville could swear that his ears were still ringing with the previous ruckus. As he sat, the last of his adrenaline faded and he gradually became aware of every bruise, cut, and ache in his body. Neville looked down at the Sword of Gryffindor in his hand. He couldn't help but muse just what in the world he was supposed to do with this now. An errant vision of the sword mounted on a plaque on his wall was followed by the thought of it sitting alongside an umbrella in a metal can. Neville was pretty sure neither option was acceptable.

There was a light footfall and Neville became aware of a presence taking a seat next to him. He turned to see Luna Lovegood seated on the ruined steps next to him. She offered him a gentle smile which he found quite easy to return given the circumstances and their surroundings. A gaggle of students walked by the two of them and Neville found himself idly observing their passage. His thoughts drifted back to Luna seated beside him. "_She looks a bit dinged up but she seems to have made it through the battle just fine_", he thought. "_Quite a blessing given that I thought the two of us would be dead before morning but here we are alive and…oh my God…_" Neville's eyes widened and his thoughts came to an abrupt halt as he remembered what he had thought alongside the grim prediction that he and Luna may not survive the battle. He had even given voice to it! Right in front of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley! Had anyone else heard his outburst? For that matter where were Harry and Ginny now? Neville never did locate Luna during the battle to tell her-"_What was it again_?" he thought, "_I'm mad for her? Where did THAT come from?_" But deep down in his heart, Neville knew he had meant every word of his declaration. Well, he wished he hadn't said the "dead before dawn" part but that didn't seem too important at the moment. Neville wasn't completely certain when he had started to fancy Luna but he knew his feelings for her went beyond friendship and just a crush. He was quite sure he loved her. When she had been abducted, Neville was fairly sure his heart had dropped through clear to his feet and shattered. When she got word to him that she was safe, he was filled with such elation that he was sure someone could have told him Trevor had been cooked and served in the Great Hall for dinner and he would not have noticed. When Luna reappeared just before the battle began, it took every ounce of self-control not to sweep her up in bear hug and not let go until oxygen became an issue. However, Neville still found Luna quite a challenge to read. He wasn't sure if she saw him as just a friend or maybe something more. On top of that, his overwhelming shyness had prevented him from pursuing the issue. But somewhere in him he had found a hidden reserve of courage and expressed his feelings out loud. And confronted Voldemort and sliced the head off of a giant snake but Neville was now pretty sure that voicing his emotions had been the greater challenge.

Neville wondered again just where Harry and Ginny were. Had they found Luna before he did? Did they tell her what he had said? Was that why she was now sitting next to him? How long had he been sitting there silent and ignoring her while thinking about her? Neville looked over again to confirm Luna had not walked off during the indeterminate time his thoughts had been racing. Her eyes lifted to meet his and she offered the same warm smile she had earlier. Neville was relieved that she was still there and found himself staring at this shoes once again. "_This is your chance to tell her. You wanted to before and now here she is! Where's that Gryffindor courage?_" his brain railed at him. "_You know you've wanted to for some time now. So get your head out and go for it! You'll never know if you don't try!_" Neville knew that his mind was right, he had to tell her how he felt. He took a deep breath and turned to face Luna once more. Her face turned again to meet his gaze. "_How does she always know when I'm looking at her?_" he wondered, "_Does she know? No matter, press ahead!_" As he opened his mouth to speak, he found his vision suddenly blocked by a sweater that had seen better days. He looked up to find that it was worn by a young Hogwarts student. A female one. A very pretty female one. And she was not alone. Three girls that Neville thought he might have seen before in the hallways but wasn't sure descended upon him. A brief glance indicated that the group consisted of a Gryffindor, a Hufflepuff, and a Ravenclaw. To this day, Neville could not remember the blur of introductions that revealed their names to him. But he remembered the flurry of compliments.

"Neville, you were awesome facing down You-Know-Who!"

"How courageous of you to slay that snake!"

"It's like a faerie tale, you're a knight in shining armor!"

Neville found himself stammering through half-hearted responses for as short a period a time as possible to still be polite. He was mildly annoyed at these girls interrupting him just as he had found his courage to tell Luna how he felt about her. Neville looked past his newfound fans to look for her. Luna was not sitting where she had been before he was interrupted. Neville felt a brief moment of panic as he scanned the grounds before him for her. His eyes locked on her form seated on bench not far from him. Harry was seated next to her and they were talking. "_Oh dear God no_", Neville thought. "_Is he telling her what I said? Please, please, please no_", Neville silently pleaded. Luna suddenly pointed to a corner of the ruins and shouted, "Oh look! A blibbering humdinger!" Neville found himself grinning as he knew that although quite a few heads turned to follow her gesture, it was more out of surprise at her outburst than desire to see the aforementioned creature. "_That is so quintessentially Luna_", he thought. He noticed Harry suddenly vanish from sight. He breathed out a sigh of relief as he realized Luna was only providing a distraction for Harry. It appeared that his secret was safe for him to tell at his convenience. Neville decided his convenience was now.

The girls surrounding him were still chattering away but Neville had blocked out their words. He stood while asking, "Could you ladies please excuse me?" and walked in Luna's direction without waiting for an answer. To be honest, he wasn't overly concerned about what their responses would be. As he approached Luna she glanced up and smiled. "H-hi Luna", Neville hesitantly began, "May I join you?"

"Of course Neville", she responded in her familiar light and airy voice. Neville sat next to her on the bench, carefully setting down the sword and taking care not to sit too close or too far. "You've got quite the fan club there. Is it alright for you to leave them behind and be here with me?" Neville wondered if he heard a hint of envy in her voice or if it was his imagination. He gave her an embarrassed smile and leaned in to make sure his words were for her ears only.

"Don't think I've forgotten who cared about me well before I cut the head off that snake", he answered in a low voice. Luna blushed slightly at his answer and averted her eyes.

"Just to let you know, there weren't any blibbering humdingers. I was only providing a distraction for Harry to slip away. He needed some peace and quiet for little while."

"I noticed Harry vanish, I figured that was your goal."

"I'm just glad I could help. Harry mentioned you were looking for me earlier."

"Did he?" Neville felt another surge of panic. Did Harry tell her why?

"He didn't mention why though. Maybe he didn't remember. Do you remember? I thought you might since you were the one asking." Neville released a mental sigh of relief. "_Thank you Harry_", Neville thought along with mentally noting that he owed his friend a drink.

"I do actually", Neville began and he mentally gathered up his remaining courage. "_Here goes nothing_", he thought.

"Oh good!" Luna's face brightened with the knowledge of successful discovery. "Might I hear it?"

"Luna-I-love-you-I-have-for-a-long-time-now-and-I-wanted-to-ask-you-out-on-a-date", Neville spouted in a rush of words. Luna's eyes widened more than Neville thought possible as his jaw dropped in horror.

"_Did he just say what I think he just said?_", Luna thought.

"_Dear God, what did I just do?_", Neville thought with abject shock. "_Were there any words in that sentence_? _Oh well, no turning back now._"

"I'm sorry Neville, I'm not sure I heard you quite clearly. Could you repeat that?"

Neville took a deep breath and gave it another try. "Luna, I-I love you. I have for a long time n-now and I wanted to ask you out on a date." Neville managed to slow his speech down to a speed that did not require Luna to jog in place to keep up.

"Oh. I thought that's what you said, but I wasn't quite sure. I guess I can understand you when you decide to join your words together." Luna leaned in closer to Neville and focused her gaze intently on his face. For a brief heart-stopping moment he thought she may have been leaning in to kiss him but she stopped shy of that point. Had Neville been more familiar with Muggle medical practices, he may have felt like he was being x-rayed by her eyes. "I don't have my spectrespecs® with me but are you sure you don't have some wrackspurts afflicting your mind?"

"Umm, were those the things that make your brain get messed up?"

"Fuzzy is more like it."

"I have to admit that is one way to describe how my mind is feeling right now."

"I thought that might be the case. There are a few countermeasures that can be employed against them…"

At that point Neville tuned out as he felt his hopes falter. "_She doesn't feel the same. I've made an utter and complete fool of myself and ruined one of the few friendships I've had. One of the best friendships I've had to boot. Would Harry be willing to loan me his invisibility cloak? I could really use it about now but he's probably making good use of it at the moment._" Before Neville could think of another way to vanish another thought halted him. "_She never said she DIDN'T feel the same way. She's just been sidetracked (Not an unusual occurrence for Luna). I just need a way to re-focus her attention._" He turned back to face her and sure enough, Luna was still talking. Neville had one idea that might re-direct her attention and he finally decided to throw caution to the wind.

"…so if you are willing to turn those inside out then-mmph!" Luna's eyes widened once more as she found her educational lesson cut short by Neville grabbing her by her shoulders and his lips meeting hers in a very unexpected kiss. It only lasted a few seconds but neither of them was really in a mind to take notes at that moment. Neville pulled back and nervously awaited her reaction. "Well…", Luna started after a few awkward seconds, "…I think we can rule out wrackspurts."

"I think so too. S-sorry for interrupting."

"Oh, not at all. Now that we know wrackspurts are not responsible, I realize I must have been rambling. Do you recall what we were talking about before I started explaining about…oh! Oh dear! You must still be wondering how I feel after you've told me how you feel!"

"Err…yes, I am curious-"

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to keep you in suspense! That's very inconsiderate of me isn't it? Here you are telling me something from the bottom of your heart and I…am rambling again aren't I?" Neville simply nodded, words were somewhat difficult to come by at that point. Luna blushed and averted her eyes downward for a moment. She looked up at him rather bashfully through her lashes. Neville briefly wondered if he had ever seen Luna look bashful before. He decided he had not but it was a very endearing look on her. "I rather fancy you as well Neville. I have for quite some time now."

"R-really? You do?"

Luna nodded. "You're one of my best and closest friends. You were my friend when few others were willing to be. You were my friend even though you probably would have been better off not being one."

"I never thought that for moment."

"Thank you for that. I'm not sure when my feelings started to change. But I know they did."

"You've no idea how relieved and happy I am to hear that."

"So am I! There were many times when I wondered if the way you looked at me was just my imagination. Even with all the time that we've spent together and talked, I still find you somewhat difficult to read."

Neville's jaw dropped again. "M-me? Difficult to re…? I was thinking the same thing of you!"

"Really? I've never thought that of myself. I'll probably need to ask some others if they think the same thing." Neville was struck with the mental image of Luna approaching someone like Ginny and stating, "_Neville fancies me and says I'm difficult to read. Is that true?_", followed by smoke pouring from Ginny's ears as she attempts to process what just came out of Luna's mouth.

They continued smiling at each other as the conversation reached a pregnant pause. They each felt as if a giant "What now?" sign was hanging above their heads. It also seemed that they were well aware that the other was aware of the sentiment. It was Neville that broke the silence first. "So, what do you reckon we should do now?"

"This is rather new to me."

"Same here. I have an idea of what I'd like to do though."

"You have my undivided attention."

"I would like to kiss you again."

"I think that is a splendid idea."

As Neville leaned in again, Luna moved to meet him halfway. This time the kiss did not feel as rushed and Neville was able to savor the sensation of just how soft and warm her lips felt. For her part, Luna was able to relax into kiss since she was not taken by surprise. After quite some time, Neville pulled back just enough to speak, "I think I could very much get used to this."

Luna giggled softly. "I am very sure I could too.", she replied. "However", she punctuated with a quick kiss, "I think you need to be going to the Hospital Wing."

Neville frowned. "I think Madam Pomfrey has her hands more than full with people in worse shape than I am."

"Neville, you need some patching up. Did you know that there's a considerable amount of blood on your head?"

Neville reached a hand up to his head for moment. "What, this? It's mostly dried now. I'll be fine."

Luna stood and extended her hand. "Neville…", she pleaded.

He found it difficult to dispute Luna's wisdom and took her hand as she helped him to his feet. "Don't worry", she assured him, "I'll hold your hand all the way there." Neville managed a half-laugh as she steered him toward the Hospital Wing. His limp promptly reminded him that maybe he did need some mending. As they entered the medical ward, they found that the situation was only marginally better than what Neville had speculated. Despite the workload, Madam Pomfrey promptly swept in from an unseen corner.

"Neville Longbottom, I'm surprised I did not see you in here sooner. And limping! And your head! What took you so long?"

"Sorry Madam Pomfrey", Neville gave a brief glance to Luna, "I guess I was a little distracted."

Madam Pomfrey managed to look both admonishing and approving at the same time. She directed Neville to a cot. "Sit. And next time please be so kind as to not bring weaponry into the Hospital Wing?" She softened her chiding with a tender smile. Neville looked a bit sheepish as he wondered once again what he was going to do with the sword. He figured under the cot was better than nothing. She turned to Luna, "Please make sure he does not wander off.", and stepped away.

Luna and Neville spent the next few minutes taking in their surroundings. Medical wards after a battle were seldom pretty places and this one was no exception. Neville caught Ginny's eye as she was seated on a bed Harry was lying in. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger sat nearby and nodded at his silent greeting. Harry was asleep ("_Probably the first peaceful sleep he's had in God-knows how long._", Neville thought) while Ginny had a firm a hold on his hand. She offered Neville a gentle smile and directed a broader, knowing smile toward Luna. Neville turned to notice that Luna's smile very nearly mirrored Ginny's. He had the passing thought that he had missed out on some great secret conspiracy. Before he could muse further on the thought, Madam Pomfrey reappeared with a flask. "You'll need to drink this. It'll make it easier for me to work on you." Neville reluctantly took the flask as Madam Pomfrey addressed Luna, "I take it that it would be futile to ask you to leave his side?" Luna simply smiled in response. "I thought so. Just like Miss Weasley over there." Neville sniffed at the flask carefully. He was not expecting a pleasant scent and was not disappointed.

"Don't worry," Luna patted his hand, "I'll be here when you wake." Neville figured he could more than live with that and downed the potion.

**Author's Note: This is my very first fanfiction. I've been reading fanfics for quite some time and finally decided to give writing one a try. Constructive criticism would be much appreciated. Flames help no one.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is purely meant as a tribute to the original work.**

The next couple of months after the Battle of Hogwarts were a bit of a blur for everyone. The grisly task of removing the dead came first. Priority was given to those who had fallen in the defense of the school. When it finally came time to remove the bodies of those who had followed Voldemort, strict instructions were issued not to desecrate the bodies. The order was fairly easy to follow for most, grudgingly for some others. The next order of business was the restoration of Hogwarts' structures and grounds. Using standard Muggle construction practices, the reconstruction would have taken years. Using magic, most of the task would be done within a month. There would be a very long list of minor reconstruction tasks that would actually take the better part of a year but the major structural tasks were completed in short order. Half of the time saved was from the lack of lengthy bidding wars and union politicking that was so common in the Muggle world.

Re-building the school was only the first of many obstacles in putting Hogwarts back in working order. The question soon came up of what to do about the, mostly, squandered previous academic year. Everyone agreed that not all the professor's courses had been a waste but those taught by the Carrows certainly were. There was also general agreement that attempting to study and learn under a tyrannical regime, trying to avoid torture, and living in hiding was not the best academic environment. Therefore, any coursework completed over the past year would not be fair representation of a student's academic performance. The first solution suggested was that everyone simply repeat the previous year and the incoming first year would be taken on as an extra class year. Not only did this present a serious logistical challenge but there were very few people who liked this solution. Furthermore, the new Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, had announced that NEWT requirements for application to auror training would be waived for those who had participated in the battle. This led many to question just how important one's NEWT year academics could be when one had just been through the mother of all practical tests. There was speculation that the waived requirements were just a way to replenish the depleted auror ranks and replace those who had exhibited poor judgment in blindly following the ministry under Voldemort's allies. No one really felt comfortable voicing that theory though.

The solution that was implemented was that compressed, accelerated courses would be held over the summer. The academic expectations were relaxed somewhat as the goal was to prepare students for the upcoming year or, in the case of the seventh years, prepare them for future occupations. Even so, the schedule was crushing and extremely demanding. Dean Thomas commented that it was like "taking a sip from a fire hose." Muggle-borns readily understood his analogy but those unfamiliar with the Muggle world were understandably baffled. The closest Dean could describe a fire hose to those who had never seen one was a wand during an Aguamenti spell. Zacharias Smith blundered into commenting on why someone would put their mouth on a wand casting that spell. It became the source of much raunchy humor in the dormitories. The grueling schedule took its toll on the staff as well. Anyone complaining about the summer session within earshot of the new Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall, received a lengthy lecture on the logistics of maintaining Hogwarts during the summer, re-working lesson plans, stress on the faculty and staff, and the burden that overtime placed on the budget. In fact, McGonagall was heard muttering "bloody budget" so many times during the summer that if you were unfamiliar with those terms you'd have thought the phrase was actually one word.

Against the backdrop of this bustling mess was Luna and Neville's blossoming relationship. "_Well not so much blossoming as growing…at the rate of a luminescent lignum vitae._" Neville winced at his train of thought. "_Good Lord, I know I like herbology and all but this has got to be a sign that this insane course load is getting to me._" They had not had much time to spend together that did not involve studying and cramming. What little non-studying time they shared was spent in hidden corners of various towers, bookstacks, greenhouses, the thestrals' grove, and the Room of Requirement. Privacy turned out to be quite a premium. The two of them quickly discovered that they, Harry and Ginny, and Ron and Hermione were not the only ones who had recently realized their feelings. It seemed there was a new couple established almost every other day. And on every other odd day it seemed like there was also a couple breaking up. Regardless, Neville felt his heartrate increase slightly the more he thought about their time together. They had not gone beyond snogging and a little exploration but Neville still found himself growing warmer just thinking about it. As he entered the library, he found Luna seated at a table, hunched over a book. She caught sight of him out of the corner of her eye but pretended not to notice. Neville moved in behind her, slid his hands onto her shoulders, and began lightly massaging. She produced a sound resembling a feline purr that indicated that his efforts were most welcome. "Knut for your thoughts.", he whispered.

"I'm imagining a warm, relaxing afternoon in a quiet meadow.", Luna whispered as she leaned back into him.

"That sounds lovely."

"With a handsome, dapper-looking gentleman…" Neville's hands stopped abruptly. "…with dark hair, deep, soulful eyes you can lose yourself in, a penchant for toads, a master swordsman, and a love for flora."

Neville's hands resumed their gentle ministrations. "Good answer! He sounds like a decent fellow. I'd like to meet him someday."

"I'll be sure to introduce you, I think you two would get on rather well."

Neville leaned down as Luna turned her head to meet him halfway. He touched his forehead to hers and stopped just shy of her lips. "Studying hard or hardly studying?", he whispered.

"A little of both.", she giggled. Neville grinned and closed the remaining distance to kiss her. Luna had just begun to lean into the kiss when a low whistle sounded from across the room. They had no idea who had whistled as it was promptly followed by an "Eh-ehm!" and a stern glance from Madam Pince. Luna and Neville shared a half amused, half exasperated look. Privacy was certainly at a premium.

**Author's Note: Hopefully, this take isn't too far off from a plausible scenario of how the disrupted school year would be handled.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

End-of-Term Feasts were normally raucous affairs at Hogwarts. The previous few had been slightly subdued affairs due to the pervasive sense of foreboding and gloom. At this particular feast, it seemed as if everyone was trying to make up for the lost opportunity to celebrate. "Barely controlled pandemonium" was the way Ron described it. The only really structured part of it was the opening remarks from Headmistress McGonagall. Unfortunately, there was no awarding of the House Cup due to the chaos of the previous year. Most folks didn't really mind as they felt lucky enough to be alive to see the end of the war. A trophy seemed relatively unimportant at that point. Much to many people's surprise, Professor Horace Slughorn proposed a toast to the defenders and victors of the Battle for Hogwarts. Professor Filius Flitwick followed with a toast to the late Albus Dumbledore. Professor Sybill Trelawney followed with a somewhat awkward toast to everyone's health and future (There were a few giggles at this one given the subject she taught). McGonagall closed out the toasts by raising her glass and, in a voice laced with emotion, called out, "I propose a toast…to absent friends." Instead of shouts of "Hear, hear!" that followed the other toasts, the hall fell silent. As one, everyone rose and raised a glass in a silent salute.

_A Couple of Days Later_

Luna and Neville knew this day was coming but neither really wanted to face it. There had been some half-hearted attempts to talk about it but every attempt had faltered. Now, standing on the platform for The Hogwarts Express, there was no avoiding it. Luna would remain to begin her seventh and last year at Hogwarts. Neville would journey south to a Ministry academy to begin auror training. "I promise that I'll come to visit every chance I get.", Neville said.

"I know you will. I've just been spoiled over the last few months seeing you almost every day.", Luna responded.

"Same for me. This doesn't change my feelings though. I still love you and I want this to work."

Luna smiled. "Don't worry Neville, I want the same thing. I love you too much to let you go that easily."

Neville's face broke into a broad grin. "I think that's the first time you've said you love me."

"Is it really? How thoughtless of me. Now I have nothing to lead you on by.", she teased.

Neville feigned heartbreak. "I should have known it was too good to be true. I was completely fooled by your feminine wiles."

Luna broke into open laughter. "I'm sorry", she said in between laughter, "That was just too much of stretch to keep up the façade."

"I was serious!" Neville joined in her laughter until he felt the gravity of the situation once more. "I will miss you."

"So will I."

"I wish I didn't have to go so far. But it can't be helped. I'm fortunate I even have the chance to enter auror training."

"It's what you want, no one can criticize you for that. But Neville, you must promise me that you WILL be careful. And if you see any remnants of the Rotfang Conspiracy, you MUST not allow them to cloud your mind!"

Neville studied Luna's face carefully. She had exchanged letters with her father throughout the summer and he had with his grandmother. Augusta Longbottom had expressed some reservations about Neville dating the daughter of the editor of The Quibbler but did not say much more beyond that. Luna and her father were working through a slightly strained relationship following his actions during the war but they seemed to have worked through it. Xenophilius did not mention much about Luna's new boyfriend until she told him about Neville's desire to become an auror. Then the warnings about plots and conspiracies began. Foremost was the diabolical devastation of dentistry, The Rotfang Conspiracy. Neville wasn't entirely sure how much Luna believed in the scheme when she first described it to him. Now, looking in her wide, earnest eyes, he had no doubt.

"Luna, I give you my word. If Harry, Ron, or I see anything that even hints at The Rotfang Conspiracy, we'll bring the whole bloody thing down ourselves if we have to."

"I know you guys will. I trust all of you to always do the right thing. Just be sure to get out first. You don't want the whole rotten mess to come down on your heads."

Neville was still trying to figure out if that was a pun when Luna rose up on her tiptoes to kiss him. They stayed like that for some time before they pulled each other close in an emotional embrace. The Hogwarts Express sounded its "Last Call" whistle. Neville glanced over to see that a similar scene was playing out between Harry and Ginny several feet away. He had little doubt they had shared a conversation somewhat similar to his and Luna's. As Neville pulled away from her he whispered, "I'll see you in my dreams." He boarded the train just behind Harry and waved good-bye from the window as the departure whistle sounded. Luna waved back as she walked up to stand next to Ginny. In silent agreement, they joined hands as the train carrying the men they loved began to roll out of the station. Ginny wiped the beginnings of some tears from her eyes as Luna spoke. "We're all going to be alright. And we'll see them again soon. Before we know it."

Ginny managed to break into a half-smile, bolstered by Luna's support. "I know. We'll be so busy the time will fly by."

"Very true. Anyways, Neville, Harry, and Ron will be just fine. They're all together. How much trouble could they possibly get into?"

At Luna's words, Ginny's eyes widened and her smile abruptly vanished from her face. She glanced over to see Luna still watching the train and waving, completely oblivious to the implications of what she had just said. Ginny found herself so stunned that she could find no words to reply to Luna. She finally rejoined her friend in watching the train disappear into the distance.

_A Few Months Later_

If the compressed summer session had been like "taking a sip from a fire hose" as Dean had described it, Neville thought auror training was like rinsing one's mouth with a tidal wave. If training standards truly had been relaxed in order to replenish auror ranks, Neville did not want to think about what it had been like when the needs of the service were not as demanding. A third of the candidate class had dropped out within the first month. Neville found that out of his particular group of candidates in his dormitory, only three were left. They were folded in with another dormitory that had been attrited in order to have one mostly full dorm instead of two sparsely occupied ones. Not only was the magic training challenging and demanding, candidates were also exposed to two fields few of them had much exposure to: Physical conditioning and fundamentals of investigation. Former quidditch players like Harry and Ron found that they some advantage as former athletes but even they were challenged by Muggle-style calisthenics and distance running. Neville feared that his lack of participation in athletics at Hogwarts would be his undoing. However, it turned out that survival, escape, resistance, and evasion during the year under Snape and the Carrows had gotten him in shape…mostly. He wasn't the best athlete but after a couple of weeks, he no longer fell out of runs and after a couple more, he could actually keep up with the middle of the pack. Neville did find the basic hand-to-hand combat training quite fun, even if it resulted in bruises from time to time. Investigation techniques were another matter. No one had any prior experience with this subject and everyone found the courses challenging. Just about everyone feared flunking out of the academy and Neville was no exception. Auror training was supposed to last three years but it could last longer if a candidate "washed back" in a course. If a candidate performed poorly in an academic or physical training subject, they were not automatically flunked out. Depending on the circumstances and the judgment of the instructors, a candidate could be given another chance and repeat the course with a following class of candidates. Injury during physical training was one of the most common cases for "washing back" a candidate. There were rumors that the record for a candidate taking the longest time to get through the academy was five years. No one wanted to give much thought to the validity of that unpleasant possibility.

The bright spot in this challenging time for Neville were the letters he and Luna wrote to each other. They didn't quite send a letter every day but it was not uncommon for them to send three or four a week. Luna was quite busy herself going through her NEWT year at Hogwarts. Not every letter was a lengthy narrative of what they had been up to, some consisted of simple statements affirming that they loved and missed each other. Harry found Neville writing another letter to Luna one evening after classes. "I think the owls here have learned your scent and footfalls and hide from you when you enter their roost."

Neville smiled at Harry's light-hearted dig. "You can't tell me they don't do the same to you with all the post traffic between you and Ginny."

"Actually I think Ron has us both beat and Hermione is the shortest distance away!"

"You're probably right. Anyways, I wouldn't be surprised if the owls did dread my approach. Luckily Luna taught me to keep a healthy supply of owl treats on hand."

"So that's how you do it. I knew there was reason they don't like me as much."

"I knew it! You were shifting blame to me!" Neville tried to look insulted but the effort was a complete failure due to his grin.

"Alright, alright!", Harry held his hands up in a mea culpa gesture as he laughed. "Anyways, the reason I dropped by wasn't just interrupt your urgent letter. As your class leader, I'm here to pass on the message that the upcoming holiday that was cancelled is now back on."

"Really? They're actually giving us a break?"

"Something about facilities not being ready for the upcoming schedule."

"I wonder if it had anything to do with that column of smoke yesterday."

"That's probably not a bad guess. Anyways, if you recall, the holiday coincides with a Hogsmeade weekend for Hogwarts."

"I do recall. Very convenient."

"Convenient indeed. Now that I have carried out my official duties, I'll get out of your way as you probably have an inn reservation to make."

"Thanks for the news. I won't hold you up since you probably have a reservation to make of your own."

"Already on my way. G'night Neville."

"G'night Harry." Neville found himself still grinning as he turned back to his unfinished letter to Luna. He had some very important news to add.

**Author's Notes: Neville's line, "I'll see you in my dreams", is from the motion picture "Crimson Tide". It is also what I would say to my wife before I had to depart for travel that my job required. I've always thought it is a poignant sentiment and those words express it well.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

"Almost seems like nothing has changed.", Ron remarked over a butterbeer. Neville had to admit, The Three Broomsticks had survived relatively unscathed. That, or repairs had been carried out so well that one could not tell the difference.

"Well, some things have changed.", Hermione observed. "It is kind of nice not to have homework and exams hanging over your head all the time." Harry, Ron, and Neville groaned and shot daggers with their eyes at her. "Whoops…"

"I never thought I'd hear Hermione say something like that.", Harry dryly remarked. As Hermione was warming to her reply she lost the attention of two of the men at the table with the arrival of Ginny and Luna through the door. Harry and Neville rose to meet their girlfriends and greeted them in a fairly predictable manner. Ron pointedly averted his gaze from the sight of his best friend and little sister locking lips. Neville and Luna eventually came up for air.

"I am so happy to see you.", Neville said through a broad smile.

"I am very glad to see you too. We are so lucky our long weekends coincided like this.", Luna replied. She had never considered herself one to preen before. Nevertheless, Luna had found herself standing before the mirror more times in the couple of hours leading up to her and Neville's reunion than she had in the past week. Finally, she convinced herself that Neville probably would not much mind how well her hair was brushed, if her make-up was perfect, or if her jewelry was too odd. He had mentioned before how he liked how creative she was with her unorthodox jewelry. After mulling over assorted combinations of outfits, Luna mused that Neville probably wouldn't mind if she showed up in a bathrobe and her hair wrapped in towel. Her cheeks immediately flushed as she continued that line of thought to what Neville might do with her if she did show up wearing that. Luna could tell from the look on Neville's face that he was happy just to be with her at that moment. Neville pulled a chair from the table to seat Luna and took his place next to her. He reached for her hand underneath the table and squeezed back when he felt a gentle squeeze from her hand. Ginny opened up the conversation with a recounting of the last quidditch game and Luna's latest round of commentating.

It was one of those comfortable conversations where you talk for what seems like the entire afternoon, you don't recall what you talked about, and you realize it doesn't really matter. You were there for the company. That's how Neville felt by the time they parted company by couples. As he walked Luna up the path back to Hogwarts she leaned in to whisper to him. "Do you remember the tunnel from the Hog's Head to the Room of Requirement?"

"Don't think I could ever forget it, it helped keep us alive during that wretched year."

"Would you be willing to meet me in the Room of Requirement later on tonight?"

"Didn't my Gran collapse the tunnel?"

"Ginny and I worked on it. It's open again."

Neville gave Luna an appraising grin. "You two have been hard at work haven't you? Such well thought out plans."

"We learned a few things about how to set up secret plans haven't we? She's going to meet Harry out in Hogsmeade tonight. That leaves the room for us."

"Did you two flip a sickle for that?"

"Actually yes, how did you know?"

"Not important, never mind. What time did you want to meet?"

"How does 8:30 sound?"

"That would be fine. Until then." They kissed good-bye and Neville watched as Luna entered the school.

_Later On_

Neville walked into the Room of Requirement a few minutes past 8:30. He wanted to allow Luna time to set up the room just in case it took her longer than anticipated. Neville found himself in a comfortable looking room with plenty of soft chairs, cushions, a table with snacks and drinks set out, and a merry looking fireplace. He found Luna comfortably seated by the fireplace poring over a book. She smiled sweetly at his entrance and angled her head up to meet his greeting kiss. "Have you been waiting long?"

Luna shook her head. "I arrived a little early to make sure the room was all set up." Neville smiled and drew her into a closer embrace. Luna leaned into him for a moment before speaking again.

"Please don't think less of me but there IS a non-romantic reason I asked you here tonight." Neville pulled back to meet her eyes, thoroughly confused. Luna sheepishly held up her Charms textbook that had been in her lap when Neville had arrived. He blinked rather slowly, still not quite understanding.

"You're sure you want MY help with that?"

"Of course silly! You did well enough in Charms as I recall."

"Well, I guess I didn't do too badly-"

"I remember you doing just fine. You don't still think it's a soft subject do you?" Neville remembered telling her about his grandmother's attitude concerning the subject of Charms. And McGonagall's retort on the same subject. He smiled at the memory.

"Not at all. It ended up coming in quite handy last year. So you actually want to study on a study date?"

"Of course, whatever else would we do?" Luna deadpanned that line so well that had she not broken into a mischievous smile immediately afterwards, Neville might have actually believed her. He decided to humor her for the time being.

"Alright, let's take a look and I'll see what I can do." Luna shifted the textbook over and Neville peered over her shoulder. They were both slightly surprised to find that they spent a good hour going over Charms. Most of it was Neville recalling his experiences to advise Luna on what she could expect in her upcoming year.

After that, it didn't take long for the textbook to be set aside and the two of them switched to the study of another subject they found far more interesting. Snogging soon gave way to something more passionate. By silent, mutual consent, clothing that was far too warm for the room was shed. Neville did not recall seeing a bed in the room when he arrived but he was not going to take time out to sort it out. All the two of them cared about at that point was that it was there and it was quite comfortable. A bra, panties, and boxers soon followed the growing pile of clothing on the floor. As Neville rolled Luna onto her back and he positioned himself above her, their eyes met and they paused. "Are you sure?", Neville whispered. He fervently hoped she would say yes. He could feel his body crying out to him to fulfill an instinct that was near overwhelming. Luna nodded and smiled up at him.

"I'm sure. Please Neville, I've wanted this for so long."

"So have I. I love you so much Luna." She pulled him down into her embrace and a gentle kiss. Predictably, the experience did not last very long. Both of them were inexperienced and extremely aroused. As they lay on their sides afterwards, they held each other close as their breathing and heart rates slowly returned to normal. Neville ended up breaking the silence first. It took him quite some time to think of a way to give voice to his feelings. "_What do you say to a girl who just took your virginity? And whose virginity you just took as well?_" Neville concentrated. "_Thank you?_" He winced mentally at the lameness of that idea. "_That won't do at all. Did the Earth move for you? That's worse!_" Neville ran his hand lightly along Luna's arm as he continued to ponder. "_Well, there's always the truth…_" He tentatively began, "I…" Then he cleared his throat and tried again, "I'm sorry I didn't last very long. I promise I'll try to get better at that."

Luna shook her head emphatically. "You have nothing to apologize for Neville." She leaned in and nuzzled against his neck. "You were wonderful."

"But I didn't hang on long enough for-"

Luna silenced him with a kiss and then pulled back to meet his eyes. "Let me make it very clear to you that I enjoyed having sex with you very much and I am very pleased with you." Neville opened his mouth to speak again and Luna placed a finger upon his lips to keep him quiet. "It's not always about reaching that peak. This is not a scoreboard where we need to keep score. Besides, I did get something out of it." Neville found it difficult to argue with her logic and generosity. He wisely decided not to.

"I still want to make it up to you. Just consider it a promise."

Luna giggled and kissed him again. "I look forward to that. I think we just need some more practice." Again, Neville decided not to contest her idea.

**Author's Note: Just in case you are wondering, this is why I rated the story M just to be safe. I actually wasn't quite sure if I was supposed to set a rating by chapter or just have a blanket rating. I've also found that each chapter looks way longer in MS Word for Windows than it does on 's website. Sorry if these chapters are shorter than what you're expecting!**

**Special thanks to Acacia Carter for reviewing! Much appreciated!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

Neville awoke to a sight that he thought would never, ever be surpassed in his life. Luna was fast asleep in his arms, her back against his front, his body curled around her from behind. And she was not wearing anything at all. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, nuzzling her hair gently. She stirred slightly. Neville found himself idly wondering if she was a light or heavy sleeper. He trailed his lips downward to kiss the back of her neck and then to the spot where her neck met her shoulder. Luna made a sound that was halfway between a moan and a purr. "_I'll have to remember that spot._", Neville thought with a smile. Luna stirred awake this time and rolled to face her lover.

"Mmmmm…good morning.", she said lazily as her eyes blinked a few times to shake off her drowsiness.

"G'morning.", Neville replied.

"What time is it?"

"Still early I think." Neville raised his head to check the clock he noticed on the end table next to the bed. "_Wow, Luna really did think of everything setting up this room._", he thought. Luna looked over to the clock as well. "Was Ginny going to return to the school via this room?", Neville asked. He had a rather nervous mental image of Ginny returning to find him and Luna still in bed. Without clothes.

"Yes. But we don't have to worry. It's still early enough."

"Early enough for what?"

"For this." Luna pulled Neville into a rather hungry kiss.

"Mmmm, this is definitely a good morning.", Neville spoke through the kiss.

Luna grinned, "Then you'll definitely like this." She rolled to her back pulling Neville on top of her.

It turned out that practice does make perfect. Or at least close enough as far as Luna and Neville were concerned. Neville was never much one for the stereotypical aspects of male pride and machismo but he decided he could indulge in this particular one. Neville was determined to make good on his promise to Luna. His efforts were rewarded with the feel of Luna's body arching against him, her arms tightening around his back, and her legs wrapping around his hips. A moment later her body shuddered and what Neville thought had to be the most lovely sound in the world issued forth from the back of her throat. He congratulated himself and his heart swelled with pride that he was able to make the woman he loved feel these wonderful sensations. Luna rewarded him by urging Neville on with the continued movement of her hips against him. He pulled her close and allowed himself to relax into his own climax. Neville buried his face against the side of Luna's neck and uttered a sound that distinctly resembled her name as he found his release. They held on to each other afterwards, panting in satisfaction and savoring the afterglow. After a few moments, Neville could feel himself rising up and down in time with Luna's breathing. He realized with a start that he was most probably crushing her beneath him. Neville rose up on his arms and began to lift himself off of her. Luna made a small sound of protest and tightened her arms around his back and her legs around his hips. "Stay", she whispered.

Neville leaned down to kiss her gently. "But I'm crushing you."

Luna shook her head. "No you're not. It's a good feeling." Her words brought forth a warm feeling that started in his chest and radiated out to his extremities. Neville couldn't find words to express his feelings at the moment. The more he thought about it, the more certain he was that there actually were no words that would do his emotions justice. They continued laying there, entwined, for a few more minutes. It didn't take long before Luna sheepishly admitted that her breathing was becoming a bit labored. Neville chuckled as he rolled to his side, allowing her to do the same. "I love you Neville Longbottom.", Luna whispered.

"And I love you Luna Lovegood." Neville pressed his lips gently to hers. "So very, very much."

_A Few Months Later_

Winter was finally giving way to spring but this particular day was one of winter's last gasps. And Neville found himself wishing he were somewhere else at the moment. "_Some place more pleasant._", he thought, "_Some place warmer. Some place like…_" Harry waved his hand in front of Neville's face, abruptly breaking him out of his train of thought.

"You alright mate?", Harry asked.

"F-fine. And you?", Neville replied, attempting to pretend that he was aware that he had been in the academy's library for the past two hours.

"I'm fine too, thanks for asking.", Harry said with a hint of mirth in his voice. "'You do realize you've been staring at that page for the past 20 minutes?" Neville flushed. His mind must have been drifting. "As fascinating as the ministry penal code is, I don't think it can hold anyone's attention for that long."

"I'd say his concentration is just fine Harry.", Ron observed, "The only thing is, he's thinking of a slender form, with long, blonde hair…"

"Might I point out gentlemen, that the ink on your quills has been dry for quite some time now?", Neville dryly observed. Harry and Ron grinned despite themselves.

"The difference is, mate, is that we gave up on studying 15 minutes ago. I take it your mind went to the same place ours did, just on a different carriage."

"So you were thinking of a girl with red hair, athletic build, fair skin…", Neville began.

"Oy! Don't want to hear about it!", Ron interjected.

Neville couldn't blame Ron. If Harry's relationship with Ginny was going anywhere near as well as his was with Luna, Ron would be better off without knowing. Over the past few months, Neville had visited Hogswarts or Hogsmeade a few times. The girls had managed to visit London and tour the academy once as well. Ostensibly, it had been part of a "career day" activity sponsored by Hogwarts but it was still an opportunity to see each other. Neville had to admit that long distance relationships were difficult but the time he and Luna spent together made it all worth it. As Neville's mind drifted once again to other aspects of his visits with Luna, he mused that it was very, very worth it. He steered his train of thought back to reality before his friends noticed he had gone off course again.

"So how is Ginny handling her NEWT year?", Neville asked. He thought a slight change of subject was in order before Ron lost the contents of his stomach on the table. Or popped a blood vessel.

"Lots and lots of complaining.", Harry answered. "Studying, homework, exams, wash, rinse, repeat. Every so often she'll start to mention how lucky I was to avoid my NEWT year but then she thinks better of it."

Neville grimaced and put his hands up, "No contest mate."

"So how is Luna doing?", Ron asked, subtly thanking Neville for changing the subject by continuing the current direction of the conversation.

"Luna is…", Neville paused, "…Luna. It's somewhat difficult to describe. I know she's studying hard and taking on piles of coursework but she never seems stressed. While I am impressed with her on one hand, I find it somewhat unnerving that all the stress doesn't faze her. Weird way to look at it isn't it?"

"Too right.", Ron agreed, "I know something would be definitely wrong if Hermione were not stressing to the point of hair loss."

As Neville and Ron smirked at the mental image, Harry abruptly changed subjects. "Neville, has Luna mentioned anything about what she wants to do after graduation?"

Neville was a bit thrown off by the sudden change in subject and had to think for moment to adjust to the new direction. "Now that you mention it, no. She hasn't said much about it. I thought she might want to work with her father on The Quibbler. That's something I should get around to asking. Why, did she say something to Ginny about it?"

"No. Ginny has been talking about the possibility of professional quidditch."

"I know they still talk and hang out quite a bit. Maybe they have talked about life post-graduation."

"Not that I know of it. Ginny's letters are brief enough as it is with her schedule."

Neville nodded in silent agreement. Although he was only in his first year of auror training, Neville couldn't help but wonder if he was developing some kind of sixth sense as a result of it. Because he had a feeling Harry looked rather too pensive to be asking such an innocent question. Years later, Neville would realize that auror training did indeed teach you how to read people better. Since he and Harry had been friends for years, this made it even easier. Neville would also realize that these were the first signs that something wasn't quite right, that an unwelcome development loomed on the horizon. He just didn't want to see or acknowledge it.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

In the years that followed, Neville would tell himself that there were signs, hints that this would happen. However, he was convinced that he just did not want to believe it. He had heard the saying, "If I knew then what I know now…" before. However, Neville knew that even if there was some way he could have peered into the future and seen what would happen with absolute certainty, he would not have changed a single thing. Because it would have meant less time with Luna.

She had just graduated from Hogwarts a week ago and Neville had presented her a necklace with a small peony-shaped charm to commemorate the event. At first glance the necklace seemed quite simple but a tap on it with a wand caused the peony to blossom fully and reveal space for a photo or picture. Luna was touched at the thoughtfulness of Neville's gift and wondered where he found such a unique item. She also felt apprehensive and thought herself heartless regarding what she was about to tell him. They were lying in bed and Neville was curled around her with his arms wrapped tightly around her. Luna told herself that every delay would only make this more painful. She had put it off for long enough already. Any longer would be just cruel. "Neville?", she tentatively began.

"Hmm?", Neville lazily responded. He was just beginning to feel the pull of drowsiness after their energetic exertions earlier.

"Remember when I told you about wanting to search for the crumple-horned snorkack?"

"Mmm-hmmm."

"And do you remember when I told you about wanting to discover new creatures?"

"Actually, I think I do recall that. Why do you ask?" Neville found himself coming fully awake now.

"Neville…", Luna turned in his arms to face him. "…I am planning on leaving to travel, explore, and find those creatures and possibly many more."

"I've known for quite some time that you were going to travel to pursue your ambitions Luna.", Neville leaned in to reassure her with a kiss. "This is not a surprise to me."

"Yes, but…", Luna worried her lower lip between her teeth for moment. She looked up into his deep, earnest eyes. Those eyes in which she swore she could see and feel Neville's love, consideration, and trust in her radiating out of them. "_Oh he's going to absolutely hate me for this._", Luna thought, "_I wouldn't be surprised if he never wanted to speak with me again._" Luna eyes began to well up against her best efforts, "…I am going to be gone a lot. We're not going to see each other-"

"Luna, we've been having a long distance relationship for a while now.", Neville interrupted. "We don't see each other as often as we want but we make it work."

"We're not going to see each other enough.", Luna finished. "Not enough to keep you happy. Or me."

"What do you mean…", Neville began. His mind was already telling him what he did not want to know. But he still did not want to believe it.

The tears welling up in Luna's eyes began to spill freely now. "You deserve someone who can make you happy. Who can stay by your side and make you happy." Neville felt his heart plummet and a cold feeling began to form in his chest.

"No, Luna. You make me happy. It's you and that's all I need! Of course I want to spend as much time with you as possible but as long as I know you'll be back and you still love me, I'll be fine!"

"Not for long. Eventually you'll come to resent me. And I will resent you for it. And it will destroy us."

Panic began to set in with Neville. "_Not like this. Please God, no, not like this…_", he mentally pleaded. "Luna no, please no…"

"I never meant to hurt you. I still love you so much…"

In the years that followed, the words that Luna used to explain why they would not work out in the long run and his ineloquent flailing were permanently seared in his memory. However, it was so painful that he would not allow himself to recall it. Eventually, he would be fine. But at that moment, he wondered how he ever would be. Neville figured that if she stayed, he would stifle her spirit that he so adored. There was little chance of him following her without sacrificing his own goals. And that was something Luna adamantly would not allow. They agreed that this would be their last night. In the morning, they would part ways. Luna would go to travel the world, explore, and discover. Neville would return to auror training and join the ranks of those who had pledged to stand against the darkness. They promised to keep in touch, when they eventually felt comfortable doing so. Once that was decided upon, Neville was ashamed to find that he could not keep his emotions in check any longer. He sobbed, tears flowing freely, his face buried in her chest. He clung to her with the desperation of a shipwreck victim to a life raft. Luna continued shedding silent tears as she attempted to comfort the man she loved so dearly. Even though she knew it was necessary, she felt horrible that she had caused this and still had no more comfort to offer. "_Well, maybe one way…_", she thought.

Luna and Neville had never found their lovemaking lacking in passion or emotion. This time, it felt as if Neville was trying to pour every ounce of love and desire he felt for Luna into his actions. Almost like he was trying to convince her of something. She knew it, she could feel it, and she couldn't help but feel that she didn't really deserve it. As they finished and savored the afterglow, Neville sobbed softly into her neck. Luna found her eyes wet with tears once more. As they slept together for the last time, Neville held her close, as he had on so many other nights. He tried to commit as much detail about her as he possibly could into his memory and prayed for the inevitable dawn to stay away for long as possible.

Harry and Ron could immediately tell something was wrong. When Neville confided in them, they both offered their sympathies as best they could but found that anything they could think of to say sounded horribly trite and insufficient. Hermione seemed to take it harder than anyone expected. She had tears in her eyes when she flung her arms around Neville and held him tight. He was shocked at the level of emotion displayed but recovered in time to pat her back and reassure her that he would be fine. Indeed, Hermione's display of emotion caused Ron's eyebrows to rise. However, he quickly reminded himself how he would feel in Neville's shoes and chastised himself for his thoughts. After a rough week in which even the academy instructors noticed something was wrong with him, Neville threw himself into his training. He still was not the most stellar student to have graced the halls of the academy but the focus kept his mind off another subject he found himself wishing he could forget.

_Two Years Later_

Neville sat before his parents in their ward in St. Mungo's. His mother was engrossed with rolling a rubber ball around in her hands. His father's empty gaze was directed at some unseen point in the wall. Neville's thumb idly traced the outline of the auror's badge in his hands. "Mom, Dad, I made it. I graduated. I washed back in two courses but I still made it. Didn't set any records for washing back either.", he said with a small self-deprecating smile. Indeed, there were three candidates from Neville's starting group that would graduate in the next class…hopefully. "I've never seen Gran look so proud. It was quite startling actually. I'm just not used to seeing her being proud of me. I guess she's just chuffed to bits considering she thought I might be a squib for so long." Neville's smile widened. His grandmother's joy at his accomplishments had softened the realization for her that he would soon be moving out. "I look forward to joining Harry and Ron soon. Ron only washed back one course and Harry was fortunate enough to have graduated on schedule." Neville looked up at his parents. There was no response, no acknowledgement. He knew not to expect any. "I will make you proud. I promise to never give up. I promise to keep trying. To the last breath." As he looked down at the coveted badge in his hand, he found thoughts of Luna inexplicably invading his mind. She had not been at his graduation. The biggest day of his life thus far. Luna had sent a congratulatory letter and he was initially overjoyed to receive it. The joy faded when he saw that she signed it, "Warmest Regards". In the past she would sign her letters to him, "With Love". Neville shook his head to rid himself of his thoughts. "_You're going to be alright_", he repeated in a mantra that had become well known to him these past couple of years, "_It's like stumbling over a pebble in the road. Nothing more than that. Just keep going forward and you'll be just fine._" Neville had lost count of how many times he had repeated these phrases in his mind. But they had gotten him through the tough times. He had survived when he thought he wouldn't. Even so, he couldn't help but feel, deep down, that those words were just a little empty. Neville pocketed his badge and rose to depart. "I love you Dad", he spoke as he hugged his father. "I love you Mom", he spoke as he kissed his mother good-bye. As Neville strode out of his parents' ward, he tucked the bubble gum wrapper that had been slipped into his hand into his pocket, next to his badge.

**Author's note: I found this chapter quite difficult to write. Don't worry, there's a reason why things happen. I have no idea if aurors have badges. I think it would make sense as they are technically law enforcement.**

**Special thanks to Dreamallday, jadely31, and Patronus123 for reviewing! Y'all have been very encouraging!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

Although Neville felt that auror training had overloaded his brain and deluged him with training, he could not help but feel underprepared when reporting for his first day on the job. His first year as a junior auror would be a probationary period before he would be even considered for handling cases on his own, if necessary. Thankfully, Neville soon found out that no one expected a junior auror to save the world on their first day (Even if said rookie had helped do so only a few years ago). He was also grateful to find that his superiors were quite adept at guiding new aurors along and keeping them out of trouble.

One aspect of academy training that Neville found surprising was the amount of time spent on studying and touring the Muggle world. These courses weren't anything like the complete waste of time and rubbish of Muggle Studies that the Carrows had forced on students at Hogwarts. Some of the recent Wizarding War had spilled over into the Muggle world. It was also well speculated that Voldemort would have taken the conflict onwards into that world had he achieved his goals in the wizarding one. As such, the Powers That Be (PTB) at the Ministry had decided that it would behoove aurors to learn more about the Muggle world. Since aurors were also the closest thing the Ministry had as a counterpart to the UK Armed Forces, MI5, and police, the PTB also decided it would be a good idea for aurors to meet their counterparts. Hence a good part of Neville's third year of training involved familiarization tours at the aforementioned organizations.

Neville found most of the tours an eye opening experience. His visits to Scotland Yard and MI5's headquarters quickly gave him insight on something Muggle and wizarding law enforcement had in common. Massive amounts of paperwork. Some of the procedures were so similar, Neville wondered if one had copied the other at some point. He had also heard of firearms before but had never handled one. On a tour to a Special Air Service base he was allowed to handle and fire one for familiarization purposes. Neville found the experience thoroughly unpleasant. The most prominent lessons he took away were that firearms were very loud and the acrid smell after discharge. He wondered how Muggles ever hit anything with the way the weapon recoiled and the ballistics of a bullet. He began to appreciate how much easier it was to aim spells. An instructor pointed out to Neville that with repeated training, Muggles became very accurate with firearms just as aurors did with spells. He went on to assert that with enough practice even Neville could become proficient with firearms. Neville kept his doubts about that to himself.

Neville had also never seen an airplane before and had never known that Muggles used machines to fly. Neville remembered his disastrous first lesson on a broom and had never progressed beyond an intermediate skill level. He had to admit he never much liked flying. However, on a tour to a Royal Air Force training range in Scotland, he found himself thinking an airplane would not be a bad way to fly, probably more comfortable than a thestral (Thinking of thestrals also caused Luna to invade his thoughts again, which he quickly shrugged off). At any rate, Neville thought being enclosed would be far safer, although the machines did seem terribly loud. Any further thoughts of flying in an airplane came to an abrupt end as Neville watched the same aircraft streak in at less than 100 feet above the ground and at just under the speed of sound. The results of the aircraft delivering its ordnance were quite formidable looking. The fireball was quite impressive, the ground shook, and Neville could swear that the very air shook as well. The other part of the aerial display involved parachutists and aerial assaults, which Neville found to be bordering on insane. He had no idea how anyone could be convinced to jump out of a perfectly functioning machine and rely on a fabric canopy attached to one's body by ropes to bring them safely to the ground. He also found that just watching people jumping from an ungainly contraption called a helicopter and sliding down on ropes gave him a case of sweaty palms.

All in all, when it came down to it, Neville was surprised at the level at which Muggles seemed to be so dependent on machinery. Computers, calculators, music players, televisions, radios…it seemed so overwhelming. After thinking on the subject some more, Neville supposed he could draw some comparisons to the wizarding world's use of magic. The demonstrations he observed also convinced Neville that Muggles could really dish out quite a bit of damage if given the opportunity to do so. He was also dismayed to find out that Muggles regularly employed such firepower on each other on a fairly regular basis.

_Seven Months into the Probationary Year_

Neville sat back from his desk to rub his tired eyes and give them a break for a few minutes. It was only the third case he had worked on but the tedium of paperwork never went away. "_At least this is another Death Eater off the streets._", Neville told himself. Still he could not shake the dread that this report would be bounced back to him for revision at some point. A soft knock on his cubicle wall commanded his attention. David Collins, Neville's minder and mentor during his probationary period, stood in the entryway.

"How's the report coming Nev?"

"Just finished Dave. I was just about to send it to you for review."

"It'll have to wait. We've got hot one."

Neville rose and started pulling on his coat. "Who are we going after this time?"

"That's the interesting part. This one is already dead. Someone else got him before us."

"Really? Kind of takes care of our work doesn't it?"

"I would agree with you but this particular Death Eater is demanding the Ministry's special attention. Someone really did not want this chap to make it to Azkaban."

"Great. Probably means a lot of late nights. Do we know who it is?"

"Lucius Malfoy."

**Author's Note: It is very common for modern militaries, law enforcement, and clandestine intelligence and operations agencies to cross-train with each other. Not only does this allow for commonality in training, it also allows them to learn from the other and increase their effectiveness. I figured since aurors are the Ministry of Magic's closest thing to the aforementioned agencies, it would make sense for them to cross-train as well. At the very least, the aurors could learn non-magical skills from their "normal world" counterparts, even if the Muggles are unaware of the nature of their guests. With the threat the Muggle world faced in the last Wizarding War, it probably couldn't hurt. I'm not sure how much Neville is familiar with the Muggle world so I took some artistic liberties.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

Neville sat back from the conference table and rubbed his hands across his tired face. He had been poring over the reports and documentation from Lucius Malfoy's murder for the past two hours with little to show for it. He glanced up at the wall clock: 9:00 pm. He sighed and took little solace in that fact that other aurors and his supervisor were still here as well. "_The Ministry is riding us hard on this one._", Neville thought glumly. "_And the effort couldn't be wasted on a better fellow._", he added with a trace of bitterness. He had only met the elder Malfoy once and that had not been a particularly pleasant experience. Neville had long ago decided that he never needed or wanted to meet Lucius. If Draco was such an insufferable asshole, it was likely that his father possessed an equally unpleasant disposition to have raised such a son. Neville mused that it could have been worse. He knew Ginny, Ron, and Harry had an especially soft spot in their hearts for the man. For that reason, Ron and Harry had been specifically prohibited from working on the case. Neville speculated that even if they had wanted to work the case, it might have only been to burn all the evidence.

Neville picked up the scene report once more. "_What a gruesome way to go._", he thought, "_Someone was definitely trying to send a message._" Malfoy had somehow been completely paralyzed but he was still conscious and his nerves had been fully functional. His assailant had then driven three, half-meter steel spikes through Malfoy's torso and pinned him up off his feet to a wall in Malfoy Manor. Lucius had been alive for quite some time and probably quite aware of what was happening as he bled to death. Not for the first time, Neville grimaced at the memory of viewing the crime scene. He felt only a slight trickle of regret that he couldn't feel that sorry for Malfoy. Neville tossed the scene report back down on the table and picked up the report on Malfoy's blood work once more. This document was particularly puzzling. The blood work had shown no agent, narcotic, or poison in Malfoy's blood. Neville hardly thought Malfoy would sit idly by as he was nailed to wall like a painting. An examination of the body had also shown that no curses had been used. "_Lucius was no pushover._", Neville thought, "_So how had his attacker done it?_" Neville read over the entries for the only substances found in Malfoy's system. An extract from a white tea and a sweetener made from beets. This was confirmed by the contents of the cup and saucer found at the crime scene. Neville could not help but be puzzled as this piece of evidence. The tea had not been poisoned. It had been examined by the Ministry's top Potioneers…three times. Malfoy's blood had been run through tests so many times they would be in danger of not having enough for evidence storage if they ran anymore. The part that really puzzled Neville was the type of tea. This particular type of tea leaf was cheap and common. Neville would have expected that those traits and the mild taste would cause Lucius Malfoy to consider that particular tea to be beneath someone of his stature. The large amount of sweetener present would not have appreciably affected the taste to make it a more refined one. "_I just can't imagine Lucius Malfoy deigning to sample a commoner's tea._", Neville mused as he closed his fatigued eyes and massaged them gently with his hand. He continued his train of thought to his near-encyclopedic knowledge of herbology. "_The only white tea leaf rare enough for a wealthy snob like Malfoy to even look at is toxic. But even that wouldn't be powerful enough to affect a human being unless…_" Neville's eyes snapped open hard enough to make a "click" as the realization hit him. "Bloody hell...", he muttered. Neville forced his brain not to race as he reviewed the blood work once more to make sure he was not just imagining it. "_I'll have to check the reactions with potions experts, of course, to make sure but this has to be it._", he thought. It took only a few minutes and Neville jumped to his feet to race to his supervisor's office. Simon Lewis, a fellow probationary, was just entering the conference room as Neville came barreling out.

"Hey Nev, I picked up some refresh-whoa!" Simon quickly sidestepped Neville's speeding form.

"Sorry Simon!", Neville called out as he raced down the hall. He found himself sporting an ironic grin. "_Of all the people I have to thank for this, I would never have believed it unless I was there myself. No way I would have known this except for one man: Barty Crouch Jr._"

Inspector Edward Bay glanced over at Neville as they intently observed the arrest of Lucius Malfoy's murderer. Daniel Wallace was a rather non-descript clerk at Gringotts who usually attracted no attention. However, he had run afoul of the Malfoys in the past in a dispute over a banking regulation. This had led Lucius to vindictively destroy Daniel's career. The final straw had come when Wallace had lost his sister, brother-in-law, and niece to Death Eaters during the war. He decided on Malfoy as a target. Unfortunately for Lucius, Daniel had done quite well in Herbology, and had kept it up as a hobby. He had also found the same tome on herbology that Barty Crouch Jr had shown a younger Neville Longbottom. Inspector Bay swept his gaze across the Wallace residence. "Barty Crouch Jr", he muttered, "I still can't bloody believe it."

"Neither could I sir. He'd be the last person I think I'd ever show any gratitude to."

"Baren's White Tea you said?"

"Yes sir. Named for the man who discovered its properties. He suffered from dementia later in life and much of his work was forgotten."

"But you remembered."

"Only because Crouch showed me that book years ago. He only did it as part of an elaborate plot to kill Harry Potter. Thankfully, I realized it wasn't the book's fault and continued reading it while I was at Hogwarts."

"How serendipitous. Thank God you have a good memory Longbottom."

"Mainly for herbology sir. I can only imagine this would drive Crouch absolutely mad that his actions helped us."

"If he has any sanity left by this point."

"Any idea how the agent was delivered sir?"

"Dart. The lab fellows went back over the body after your revelation. Missed the pin prick. Probably because we all thought it was a curse and were looking for evidence of one. The weapons fellows will have a jolly good time with that one." Inspector Bay and Neville were joined by another older auror, one with salt and pepper hair and holding a small potted plant. "Souvenir, Seb?"

"We found them Ed. This is just one of the small ones. It took some time to find them and sort them out. He had them hidden among a bunch of regular white tea. Can you believe it? Why take the chance? What if he picked the wrong one?"

"I don't think there was much risk sir.", Neville observed.

"What makes you say that?", the newcomer asked.

Neville had the distinct impression from the man's face that he knew why himself but he wanted to know if Neville knew. He rose to the challenge. "Wallace had to have been skilled with plants because this particular tea is difficult to cultivate. Since he was skilled enough to do that, he'd be skilled enough not to pick from the wrong plant. Also, even if he drank the tea, it would not have paralyzed him like Malfoy. The toxin has to be extracted and concentrated. Even then, it works slowly in the bloodstream. The sweetener acted as a catalyst. After the Baren's had run through Malfoy's system, it ended up looking like regular tea. That's why there was so much of it, without the catalyst to speed up the reaction, it would not have had the desired effect on Malfoy."

The newcomer raised his eyebrows, "Impressive. You're a probationary right?"

"Yes sir."

Inspector Bay spoke up, "Seb, this is Neville Longbottom. Longbottom, I'd like you to meet an old friend of mine, Inspector Sebastian Chen." Neville shook the senior man's hand and offered a greeting.

"You have a mind for herbology Longbottom, that much is obvious.", Inspector Chen observed. "Have you selected any specializations yet?"

"Uh, no sir, not yet.", Neville answered.

"Here's my card Neville. Contact me once your probationary period is done. I think we could use a man of your talents." Inspector Chen handed Neville a business card.

"Seb, are you headhunting my people right in front of me?"

"Ed, relax. How many probies stay with their probationary branches anyways?"

"That's not the bloody point! This is the gratitude you show me after I introduce you. And I helped you fix your deck railing-"

"Are we back to that now? May I remind you…"

Neville tuned out their good-natured ribbing and bantering as he looked down at the card in his hand. Perhaps this was the next step in his life. "_How serendipitous…_"

**Author's Note: I always thought Lucius Malfoy got off kind of easy at the end of the series.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

"We are truly dangerous now my friends!", Ron exulted. Harry and Neville grinned at their red-haired friend as he lifted another glass of beer. A group of newly-vetted non-probationary aurors had gathered at this pub to celebrate their new status. Neville had to hand it to Harry and Ron, they were kind enough to wait until he had completed his probationary year before indulging in a celebration. Granted they did not have to wait long since Neville wasn't quite that far behind them but it was still a grand gesture to Neville. "Just think, now they actually would have to think before sacking us instead of unceremoniously kicking our bums out into the street!"

"Keep in mind that our new supervisors will still keep a close watch on us. There's a lot more oversight than there used to be.", Harry cautioned.

Ron made a dismissive gesture that nearly sloshed some of his drink onto a fellow patron. "Still a damn sight better than being a probie!"

"That I will drink to!", Neville contributed.

"So, you going to finally propose to Hermione now?", Harry casually threw in.

"What? Who told you that?"

"Well you've been talking about it throughout your probie year. Thought you might want to actually get off your lazy arse and do something about it."

"This is hardly the place and time to discuss this. Neville, help a mate out and change the subject."

"Sure", Neville grinned, "When are you going to ask Ginny the big question Harry?"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Not the help I was looking for. Care to try again mate?"

Neville was about give Ron a break when a new voice broke in. "I see losers still like to stick together." Ron could see over their shoulders and his expression visibly darkened. Neville and Harry's smiles vanished at the distinctive voice. They turned to face Draco Malfoy. "You all are bloody proud of yourselves aren't you? Think a shiny badge makes you someone now?"

"Jog on Malfoy", Ron seethed, "This is a private party."

"I didn't see any bills posted.", Draco retorted. "You all celebrate while my father's murderer is still alive."

"He's in Azkaban Draco-", Harry began.

"With a pittance for a sentence!", Draco interrupted. "You call yourselves aurors? You call that justice?"

"Wallace was doing the world a favor. You're lucky he got any time in Azkaban."

"Say anything like that again and you'll regret it Weasley.", Draco rasped. "That court was a travesty. It was a show and you all know it!"

"Brave words from someone who no longer has dumbasses 1 and 2 backing him up.", Ron jeered.

"You should be thanking Neville out of any of us Draco.", Harry interjected, "He's the one who found the break that solved the case. Without him, Wallace could still be walking around free. Maybe to come after you."

"Ah yes, Loser Longbottom.", Draco turned his angry gaze to Neville. "I suppose I do owe you thanks. Thanks for growing half a brain to solve a simple case."

"You're welcome Malfoy.", Neville smirked. Years of bullying from Malfoy steeled Neville's resolve. Things were different now and Neville was adamant that he would not back down. "You would have never seen him coming and you would have joined your father as a wall decoration in your manor. So you're welcome for your sorry arse."

Draco scoffed. "If you caught him Longbottom, that's saying a lot. I could have beaten him with my eyes shut."

Neville laughed. "Really? I didn't see you pursuing Wallace. And as for your bravado, I seem to recall you fleeing the Battle of Hogwarts. I remember staying to the end. Had quite an audience. Got a nice souvenir from it too."

"You'll regret saying that Longbottom! Just wait-"

"Until what Malfoy? Until your father hears of this?", Ron mocked. "Too bad that doesn't work anymore."

Draco turned from flustered red to white-hot angry. "You shut your mouth Weasley! You don't deserve to speak of my father! You don't watch yourself you'll end up like your brother-"

Draco never finished his sentence as at that point, Ron lunged for Draco but Harry saw it coming and caught his friend mid-motion. Draco moved to take advantage of the situation but found Neville blocking him and shoving him back. "You've done quite enough Draco! You don't have your goons backing you up anymore. You're powerless without them. Get out of here and go back home to your mum."

Malfoy leaned in as if to whisper something to Neville and muttered something under his breath. Abruptly, Neville found his legs rigid and fused together. He glanced down in horror to see that Draco had flicked out his wand into his hand from some hidden pocket. "_Not again!_", Neville fumed at himself, "_Not the damn leg-locking curse AGAIN! How could I be so stupid to let him do that to me again?_" The humiliation from the times this happened at Hogwarts came flooding back into Neville's mind.

Draco smirked. "Some things never change do they Longbottom? Badge or not, you'll always be a loser. You'd best watch yourself out there. Or you may end like mummy and daddy in St. Mungo's." He turned to leave, confident in teaching his old classmates a lesson. Had he remained facing them for a moment longer, he would have been witness to rare occasion of Neville Longbottom losing his temper. Neville took a couple hops forward to pursue the Slytherin alumnus as he departed. Draco felt a hand grip his shoulder to spin him around and a hand immediately seized his shirt collar.

"What the-" was as far as Draco got out before he felt Neville's palm slam into his jaw and turn his head. Malfoy was surprised but also incensed that Longbottom had dared to lay hands on him. He still had his wand out, a quick stunning spell would teach Longbottom a decisive lesson. Unfortunately, Draco found he could not get any sound out, let alone an incantation. Neville's thumb was hooked into Draco's jaw behind his chin. A split second later, Neville's fingers were digging into Draco's eye sockets and Malfoy promptly forgot about any spells whatsoever. In fact, all Draco could think about was how amazingly painful the technique was. He was vaguely aware of his head being angled upward and what had to be Neville's knuckle drive into his throat. Draco was vaguely aware of a lot of shouting going on but he could not make out any specific words. At any rate, the sudden lack of oxygen made everything kind of fuzzy. At some point, he found he could breathe again. The ceiling of the pub gradually came into focus as he drew in deep, ragged breaths and he was aware that no one was trying to gouge eyes out anymore. His sudden relief came to an abrupt halt as he felt someone try to drive his skull through the pub's floor. Things really got unpleasant at that point.

_A Few Hours Later_

Neville stood rather uncomfortably and apprehensively in front of Inspector Edward Bay's desk. Bay glowered at him through narrowed eyes. "I'm surprised Longbottom. I mean really surprised. You mind telling me what the hell happened tonight?"

"Old classmate sir. Some…impolite and angry words were exchanged."

"Uh-huh. And those words were enough to-", Bay glanced down to sheet of parchment on his desk, "-to put a man in St. Mungo's with a fractured jaw, broken nose, three teeth knocked out, black eyes, and a concussion?"

"He used a curse on me sir."

"Yes, the report documents that. In fact, it's the only thing keeping you out of an official reprimand. Is that really all of it?"

"They were very, very harsh words sir."

"Is that your story? Are you really going to stick to that? No prominent case details regarding a rather infamous name were discussed? You think your story will match up with Weasley and Potter's?"

"They had nothing to with it. It was all between myself and Malfoy sir."

"OH COME ON!", Bay roared as he stood up. "You think they didn't try to pass off the same damn story? And knock off that 'Yes sir', 'No sir' probie bullshit!" Bay ran a frustrated hand through his unkempt hair and sat. "Sit down! We're not getting anywhere with you standing there like a statue." Bay drew in a deep breath as Neville sat down. "You avoided any trouble in your probie year. Barely past probationary status and here you are in my office. You trying to set a record?"

"Not really." Neville thought it best to drop "sir" from here on. "We all have a…history for lack of a better term. If you don't know Malfoy, it's kind of hard to understand."

"Oh but I do. I have met young master Draco Malfoy. I knew the abomination known as his father as well. Draco raised bloody hell in here and the Ministry during his father's murder investigation. After only five minutes with him, I was ready to pound him into snail snot." Neville breathed a silent sigh of relief. "For better or for worse, his name still carries a lot of weight in the Ministry. I don't know how but it does."

"Shit.", Neville muttered.

"Prize understatement. Neville, listen to me. We don't spend enormous amounts of time and money training aurors to go brawling in pubs and try to stomp a man's head into a bloody pulp. Politics still exist, even in the auror service. That evil was not born and will not die with Voldemort. It is what it is. Try not to step on too many toes and do try not to stomp them into paste if you must?"

"I'll do my best, Inspector."

"I know you will. Now get out of here. Thanks to someone, whose name I won't mention-", Bay directed a pointed look at Neville, "-I won't be getting back to sleep until my report is at least in draft form."

"Sorry sir."

"For what? Honestly Longbottom, if I were to hang you from the gallows I'd need to put up a noose right next to yours just for the violent thoughts I've harbored for Malfoy. I wouldn't be the only one either. Just do me a favor Neville, don't give Seb headaches like this?"

"Yes sir."

"Now go on, get out of here." As Neville made his way out, he turned to notice that Bay had put his feet up on his desk and was wearing bunny slippers. Neville knew the inspector had been pulled from home but- "Keep walking Longbottom!" Neville wisely made his way down the hall.

**Author's Note: I wanted to show Neville did learn something besides magic at the academy.**

**Special thanks to everyone who has added this story to their Favorites and/or Alerts list! An extra special thanks to everyone who reviewed as well! It means a lot to know that people are reading and I hope you are all enjoying the story. I know we haven't seen much of Luna lately but I promise the story will be steering back on track soon. There IS a method to this madness!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

Neville set his box of personal effects down on his new desk. A part of him still wasn't quite sure if he belonged here and another part of him looked forward to the new assignment. The office spaces certainly did not look any different from those of his probationary branch but there was just something different in the air. He could sense it.

"You're the new one?", voice called from behind Neville. He turned to face an older, obviously veteran auror with greying hair at the temples and what Neville thought were rather tired looking eyes.

"Yes", Neville extended his hand, "Neville Longbottom, pleased to meet you."

"Peter Whitfield, likewise.", the older man shook Neville's proffered hand. "Welcome to the Herbology Branch, Narcotics Division, Potions and Controlled Substances Dept, Auror Service, etc. Looks like we'll be cubicle-mates. At least for the next few months. I retire in May."

"Congratulations", Neville replied. "Have you been in this branch for long?"

"Two years. I was in Burglary for fourteen."

The math didn't add up in Neville's head. "Beg pardon, but are you retiring early Mr. Whitfield?"

"Pete or Peter. Mr. Whitfield is my father. And yes, I am retiring early. I feel like I've done all I can do here."

"Are things that bad here?"

"Goodness, no. Sorry, didn't mean to scare you there Neville. It's not much different from other auror assignments. It's tough all around. Personally, I think we really do make difference here and the work is rewarding."

"Is that why you're retiring early?"

"Maybe you'll find out someday.", Peter answered cryptically. Neville again noted the tired eyes. "Have you been in to see Seb yet?"

"Do you mean Inspector Chen?"

"You'll find he likes being called that as much as I like being called Mr. Whitfield. C'mon, I passed him on the way in. Best to let him know the fresh meat is here." As Peter guided Neville into the hall, Neville could not help but notice a bottle on Whitfield's desk: Anti-ulcer medication.

Inspector Chen welcomed Neville to his new assignment, reviewed their mission, expectations, and duty schedule. Neville could still not believe where some of the assignments were taking aurors in his branch. Chen nodded at Neville's skepticism. "It turns out that not all Death Eaters were as fanatical about blood purity as others. Some are quite pragmatic. As long as working in the Muggle world or with Muggles will keep money in their pockets, keep them alive and ahead of us, they'll do it. They won't be too picky."

"I never knew for a long time there was a narcotics division."

"There wasn't. Not until we noticed the product going back and forth between our world and the Muggle one. That makes it especially touchy. Narcotics hasn't been around for that long. The Herbology Branch has existed for even less time. It wasn't until the Powers That Be realized help was needed to identify, process, store, and destroy the plant sources for these drugs. It was too much to expect the aurors handling narcotics to do it all."

"Do we do any undercover work?"

"No, strictly the purview of narcotics. Don't worry, we won't be taxing your Transfiguration skills." Neville flushed slightly. Of course his branch chief had seen his dossier. "We will be testing your nerves though. Have you ever heard of or seen a methamphetamine laboratory in the Muggle world Neville?" Neville shook his head. "I didn't think you'd have much reason to. A lot of these drugs are made in makeshift labs. A lot of the equipment is jury-rigged and slapped haphazardly together. And then the operators are not very skilled or under the influence of the product. A lot of the ingredients are volatile and open flames are involved. This happens for magical narcotics as well. And the explosive results have been observed in the Wizarding and Muggle worlds. We're at risk because we go in with the narcotics boys after the explosive experts to secure as much evidence as possible. Some of the plants are quite dangerous and we don't need the narcotics boys taking casualties from them either."

"Sounds like some interesting times we live in."

"Bloody right it's interesting times. Any other questions?" Neville shook his head. "Well, I'll let you finish getting settled in. We're a small branch and we try to take care of each other. If you have any other questions, my office door is always open. " As Neville returned to his cubicle, he could not help but wonder what he had gotten himself into.

_One Year Later_

Neville smiled as he opened the invitation. "_Ron and Hermione finally set a wedding date_", he thought, "_It's about bloody time!_" Both he and Harry had thought it had taken far too long for Ron to propose to Hermione. He had finally popped the question right after the completion of their probationary year. Almost everyone expected the engagement to be a long one since it had taken so long for Ron to propose. Neville was as surprised as anyone else that the wedding date had finally been set. Included with the invitation was a separate note from Ron asking him to be a groomsman. Neville knew this would involve wedding attire fittings and probably at least a rehearsal dinner. He speculated that there might be other parties involved, he just hoped his schedule would allow him to attend. Neville's train of thought came to an abrupt halt as his brain attempted to free itself from his skull through brute force. At least, that's what it felt like. Neville fumbled for a small bottle on his desk and shook out two small, green pills. He stuffed them into his mouth and washed them down with a swig of water. After a few minutes lying limp in his chair, the pain subsided. Neville realized he was sweating and breathing raggedly. He glanced at his wristwatch. "_Missed a dose. I still need to get used to the damn dose schedule!_", he fumed at himself.

_Seven Months Later_

"The male mind can only distinguish a limited range of colors. The female mind can distinguish an infinite range of colors. For example, you show a guy red, he'll say it's red. You show a woman red, she'll say you're wrong. She'll say it's vermillion, or it's scarlet, or it's crimson. And it will drive you absolutely out of your bloody mind!", Ron ranted. Harry and Neville did their best to not laugh at their friend's theory. This meant the results were less than successful. "Laugh now while you can, this will be your nightmare soon old friend!"

Harry raised his hands in mock surrender. "I'm really laughing with you Ron. I plan on just nodding my head through the whole ordeal."

"That strategy doesn't work. They want you to be 'involved'", Ron objected.

"You're joking."

"Welcome to my life."

"Just be glad Harry didn't propose at your wedding.", Neville offered.

"Nev, give me some credit. I may have been raised in a cupboard but I HAVE learned some social graces."

"Listen, I'll leave you two to commiserate. I'm going to get another drink, you guys want anything?" Ron and Harry shook their heads as Neville walked toward the kitchen. As he approached he heard the female voices talking in lowered voices. Apparently, they did not want their conversation to be heard and Neville normally would have obliged their privacy until his ears caught a certain word.

"…Luna will be there?", Ginny asked.

"I still don't have a definite answer from her. You know her and her schedule. Not to mention her punctuality."

"Are you still planning on having her as a bridesmaid?"

"Yes, of course."

"Then we'll just have to have a back-up. I know it seems terribly rude but I don't know what else to do. I know Luna would understand."

"You know that Ron asked Neville to be a groomsman?"

"I remember. You're not planning on pairing them to walk down the aisle are you?"

"Heavens, no! I haven't completely lost my senses Ginny!"

"Is he going to be alright?"

"I think so. He's become much more…resilient."

Neville chose to step away at that moment, he had heard enough. Memories that had been pushed far, far away returned to cloud his mind. He and Luna had kept in touch and were civil and polite in their correspondence. Just after he finished his probationary year he received a letter from Luna updating him on her latest trip and her work. She also talked about her boyfriend that she had been seeing for a couple of months. His name was Rolf Scamander and he was the grandson of the famous magizoologist, Newt Scamander. Rolf had apparently decided to follow in his famous ancestor's footsteps and it was not surprising to Neville that he and Luna would cross paths. In subsequent letters, Neville learned that Luna had brought Rolf home to meet her father. Neville supposed things were very serious between them and the next step was only a matter of time.

As for himself, Neville had met a former classmate from Hogwarts, Hannah Abbott. The former Hufflepuff and Neville were not close friends but were acquaintances from their time at school. He was pleasantly surprised to find her working at The Leaky Cauldron one evening when he and some co-workers came in to decompress after a difficult and long day. They went on a few dates but the relationship never really became serious and they broke it off by mutual consent. Hannah was a nice enough girl and quite pretty. But both she and Neville knew that their feelings for each other just did not run deep enough to continue the relationship. Deep down, on nights when his mind was clearest, right before he fell asleep and his subconscious could surface to voice his innermost thoughts and feelings, Neville admitted to himself that the real reason the relationship failed was because she wasn't Luna. He wondered if Hannah had known. Neville figured that she probably did. Hannah didn't give herself enough credit in the intelligence department and she was probably just too nice to call him on it. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and was sure to make some noise before approaching the kitchen again to allow the women to change the subject.

_Five Months Later_

Neville looked up as Harry exited the bathroom. "He going to be alright?"

"Yeah, I think so.", Harry answered. "You don't want to go in there right now though." The sounds of Ron emptying his stomach came through the door again. "Well, I suppose it's normal to be a little nervous."

"That sounds pretty serious for normal."

"This IS Ron we're talking about."

"Good point. Think he'll be alright in time for the ceremony?"

"Absolutely. I'll make sure of it." Harry continued in a much smaller voice, "Because Hermione promised she'd do very painful things to both of us if I didn't."

"I wish you the best of luck-"

"Ginny promised to take care of _you_."

"-because I'll be right there beside you.", Neville finished.

"Your enthusiastic participation is duly noted.", Harry deadpanned.

After few moments of silence, Neville suddenly asked, "Was there a window in the bathroom?" Both men stared at each other for moment before dashing through the door.

_Meanwhile_

"You need to breathe Hermione. And when you do, do try to slow it down.", Ginny advised her friend while fanning her with a notepad.

"I know, I know. Easier said than done.", Hermione nervously smiled. "At least if I know I'm this nervous, it means Ron is probably more so."

"I'm pretty sure my brother is praying to the porcelain gods right now."

"I can't really picture any deity appreciating that form of worship.", a light and airy voice from behind them commented. Hermione turned to face her old friend.

"I am so glad you were able to make it Luna. I really, really do appreciate it."

Luna managed to arrive two hours before the ceremony and thankfully the measurements had been accurately recorded and her dress fit perfectly. "I'm very flattered you asked me to be a bridesmaid. Was there ever any doubt I would be here?"

Hermione and Ginny shared a look. "No, not at all", Ginny answered.

"You hesitated."

"Ummm….how was Brazil?"

_Meanwhile_

"Breathe Ron, breathe.", Neville advised. "C'mon, inhale, exhale. This will be over soon and then you can relax and enjoy the party."

"Welcome back Neville", Harry dryly observed.

"Did I go somewhere?"

"You tell us mate.", Ron said with a nervous smile. "You've been staring out that window for ten minutes."

"Sorry, my thoughts must have drifted."

"Is this about-"

"No."

"Alright, just asking." Ron paused. "You know that I had no idea Hermione asked her to be a bridesmaid when I asked you to be a groomsman."

"I know Ron, you've mentioned it before."

"And she made sure that you two weren't paired for the procession."

"Ron, it's alright! Even if she did, it wouldn't have been a problem. We're fine with each other, we can behave and be civil. I mean, we don't hate each other or anything like that."

"Neville", Harry began, "Does she know about the past year?"

"No."

"You didn't mention anything?"

"There wasn't any reason to. No need to bring her mood down."

"Any chance she knows from Ginny or Hermione?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I doubt it."

"We didn't tell her anything."

"Guys, it's fine. All I ever wanted was for her to be happy. She IS happy. I'm not going to do anything to disturb that."

"What about what you want Neville?"

"I'm alright. I'm making a difference aren't I? Who would've have thought I'd get even this far back at Hogwarts, right?"

"Is that enough?"

"Maybe I'll find out someday."

Harry and Ron shared a brief look. "_Love, thou art a heartless bitch…sometimes._"

_15 Minutes Later_

Luna couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive. Although she and Neville had exchanged letters over the years, they had not seen each other since "That Night", as she had taken to calling it. As Harry entered the room to take his place next to the maid-of-honor, Ginny, she flashed him a quick smile. He smiled back and nodded in acknowledgement. Luna couldn't help but notice that Harry looked a little tired and that he seemed to have aged a bit more than she had expected. Neville was right behind him and Luna glanced over in his direction. Her heart skipped a beat but not for any reasons she had anticipated. In fact, she was quite sure her smile faded a bit and that she had gone pale. Neville looked like he had aged like Harry had with a few stray grey hairs amongst his dark hair. A long scar ran along his left cheek to just below the corner of his eye. What looked like scarring from a burn on his forearm peeked out from under his cuff. She had no doubt that there were mostly likely other scars hidden by his clothing. Most of all, Luna saw what was in his eyes. They looked so tired, like some of the light had diminished in them. She noticed that he smiled in her direction but she saw that it did not quite reach his eyes. Luna was seized with the impulse to grab him and ask what had happened. What had he not told her in his letters. However, she knew there was not enough time before the start of the ceremony. As her turn came to proceed down the aisle, Luna resolved that she would find out just what had happened.

_Two Hours Later_

Luna had discovered what just about anyone who has ever been part of a wedding party now shares as common knowledge: Pictures are a pain, take forever, yet everyone gushes over them afterwards. She never knew that just standing, sitting, kneeling, and posing could wear a person out. Luna gently massaged a foot as she relaxed on a chair in the reception ballroom. Although the dress had, mercifully, fit just fine, the shoes left much to be desired. Over the years, she would find this would, unfortunately, be the norm and not the exception. They certainly did not help her dance. After Ron and Hermione shared the traditional first dance, the floor opened up to include the members of the wedding party. "_Maybe it was the way I danced that made these shoes so uncomfortable._", she thought. Her partner had certainly been confused as Luna had twirled in circles with her hands waving in the air. Ginny had looked on, belatedly realizing that she should have told Luna that the rest of the wedding party was supposed to JOIN the bride and groom in their dance and not…do whatever it was that she was doing. But then she thought better of it since no one seemed to mind and even if they did, tough! This was a wedding, people were supposed to have fun. If they had a problem, they were just too tightly wound and needed to lay off the caffeine a little. "_Maybe if I had danced like everyone else, my feet wouldn't feel so uncomfortable._" Luna pondered her thoughts for a moment. "_No, that can't be it. Therefore, barefoot it is from here. I wonder if anyone would mind…_"

**Author's Note: I took some more artistic liberties as I really wanted to try to find a place where Neville could fit in and come into his own as an auror. I figure he has plenty of time before he moves on to a second career later in life. I don't think there is any mention of how long he spent as an auror or what his experiences were like in that job.**

**I've mentioned this before in some reviews I have written for other authors' stories: Part of the fun in writing about the supporting characters is that the original author did not spend as much time on their character development and storylines as the primary characters. That is to be expected. This leaves some more latitude to write about what the secondary characters may have been up to while the primaries are doing their thing. I'm having fun writing this and I hope that everyone reading is enjoying it as well.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

Luna's gaze swept the reception ballroom for Neville. She had been caught up in making small talk and exchanging pleasantries with what seemed to be a good third of the population of redheads in the United Kingdom. Then again, there were so many people that Luna had lost track of exactly who was in the Weasley or Granger clans. Luna had glimpsed Neville earlier when he had been standing at the bar, drink in hand. She watched as he walked to a deserted spot along the wall. Neville checked his pocket watch intently and then looked around as if to check if anyone was looking in his direction. He did not notice Luna observing him and his apparent secrecy piqued Luna's curiosity even more. She continued watching as Neville drew a small bottle from his pocket, shook out what looked to be pills, popped them in his mouth, and downed them with help from his drink. After that, a fellow bridesmaid had approached to ask her if she had seen the maid-of-honor. After Luna answered in the negative, she turned back to Neville only to find that he had moved and she had lost him again. "_You'd think with so many people with varying shades of red in their hair that a tall, dark haired man would stand out._", she thought in mild frustration. Neville's behavior had only caused Luna's concern for her old friend and former lover to grow. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was not quite right. Luna's eyes locked onto Neville's form a few tables away. He appeared to be holding a conversation with an older member of the Weasley family and his wife. Luna really did not mean to eavesdrop but she did not really have a choice as she quietly approached from behind them.

"I was on my way to becoming an auror you know. But I had other obligations and life took me in a different direction. I like to think I would have done alright!", the older man declared.

"It's a shame, Reginald.", Neville replied in a slightly bored manner.

The older man, Reginald, seemed not to notice. "Just Reg is fine, remember? You must have some exciting stories from the field right? Some infamous names you've chased down?"

"Not much chasing for me really. A lot of time in a lab or sifting through a crime scene."

"Surely you must have some interesting anecdotes? What was the last case you worked on?"

"I'm not really supposed to discuss pending cases-"

"Well then the last one you closed! You can share a tale or two with a former candidate, right?"

"The last case I completed involved a hidden workshop making enchanted narcotics in a Muggle neighborhood. They got careless and the whole place went up."

"Good riddance to those miscreants.", Reg's wife spoke up.

"Unfortunately, the explosion was in a residential area. Some families had gathered at a neighboring home to hold a child's birthday party. Guys from my office had to sift through the scene to secure all the evidence. The unfinished product in this case was quite toxic and could be absorbed through skin. Debris was everywhere; in the walls, trees, dirt, furnishings…and body parts. We had to make sure we collected as much of the substance as possible to prevent further contamination."

"I imagine that must have been difficult.", Reg observed.

"That wasn't the first scene I've been to that was like that.", Neville explained. "After you pick up the severed head of a child for the fifth time, you kind of become desensitized."

Reg went silent and his wife turned a distinct shade of green and quickly excused herself. Reg mumbled something about checking on his wife and departed as well after telling Neville it was nice to meet him. Neville took a drink from his glass as Luna walked up beside him. "Is this the usual reaction to your stories about work?", she asked him.

Neville turned and looked up to answer a voice he knew all too well. He was sure he still heard it in his dreams. "No, but he was starting to try my patience. I don't know how much you heard but he was one of those types who spends an hour telling you all about how he could have been an auror and then spends another hour telling you why he didn't."

"Does that happen often?"

"More times than I care to remember."

"It looks like he didn't get very far in telling you his story. Was yours true?"

"It was.", Neville answered quietly. "It's good to see you again Luna.", he said, standing up and changing the subject. Neville set down his champagne flute and moved to give Luna a hug. Luna walked easily into his arms and returned his embrace. Neville couldn't help but feel a pleasant warmth in his heart in feeling Luna's familiar form against him. He imagined for a moment that if he closed his eyes and forgot his surroundings, not a day had passed since they had gone their separate ways.

"I'm very glad to see you again. It seems like it's been far too long."

"It has. You look well, your tan suits you."

Luna smiled and sat down. "Thank you. I usually use a screening charm but I still get at least a light tan no matter what. I forgot once, that wasn't a pleasant experience."

Neville winced on her behalf as he sat in the chair next to her. "I imagine it wasn't. Were the shoes not to your liking?", he gestured to her hand.

Luna looked down. "I don't think they were meant for dancing. Or at least not my type of dancing."

"Judging by the looks of them they don't even look like they would be comfortable for standing."

"I'm not sure. Maybe if I had danced like everyone else they would be more comfortable. Maybe you can help me. We'll dance and I can test my theory out."

Neville couldn't help but flush a little at her suggestion to dance with her but he managed a small smile. "I don't think that would be a very good test Luna. My foot stepping on yours would negate any validity to the test."

"I doubt you have to worry very much about that."

"Not according to the bridesmaid I was paired with for the wedding party dance."

Luna giggled at the mental image. "I am glad to see you again.", she said quietly.

Neville nodded slightly. "I've missed talking with you like this."

"Neville", Luna hesitantly began, "What happened?"

"What do you mean?", Neville replied although he had a good idea just what Luna was asking about. She didn't answer him but gently slid her hand against his scarred cheek. Neville flinched slightly at her touch on the rough skin.

"I think you know what I am asking about."

"Not here. Not with this many people about. Let's go out to the terrace." Neville stood and retrieved his glass. Luna stood and picked up her shoes. They walked in silence out the glass double doors to the terrace. There were few people milling about as most of the activity was taking place indoors, which had better acoustics for the music. Neville took a sip from his glass before speaking. "Why do you want to know?"

"Does this have anything to do with those pills you took earlier?", Luna asked.

"You saw that?" Luna answered him with a nod of her head. "They're painkillers. High quality ones made from the extract of an amaranthine lotus."

"Do you have to take them often?"

"Regular schedule. Otherwise I get migraines that nearly incapacitate me."

"Should you be washing them down with alcohol?"

"What, this?" Neville held up his glass. "This isn't champagne. It's sparkling apple cider. I haven't drank all night. I can't drink alcohol ever again. The interaction with the medication would most likely cause death. At best, I may stop breathing if I'm lucky but at least I could possibly be resuscitated."

"Amaranthine lotus. Does that mean they're addictive?"

"It's possible. Highly unlikely. It varies from person to person. I'm considered a low risk. But if I don't take them…" Neville grimaced. "Let's just say I forgot to once or twice when I first got them. It wasn't a pleasant experience."

"And you can't ever drink again?"

Neville shook his head. "It's not that much of a loss. It just means I'm always the designated driver."

"The what?"

"Sorry, it's a Muggle thing. Picked it up during the Muggle tours back at the academy. "

"How long do you have to take those pills?", Luna steered the conversation back on subject.

"For the rest of my days."

"Is it because of this?", Luna took Neville's hand and gently slid her thumb over the scarring on his wrist.

"You didn't answer me before Luna.", Neville fixed his gaze on her eyes. "Why are you asking?"

"Do I have to have a reason?", Luna replied with a hint of irritation in her voice. "Did you consider that maybe it's because I care about you? That maybe I want to know if you are well and I am distressed to find that you are not?"

"I'm sorry." Neville answered with a contrite expression. "I didn't want to worry you."

"Friends are meant to share in all of your times, good and bad."

"You're right. I should have considered your feelings. But…", Neville paused, "…I always found it difficult to bring up in our letters. You always had so much good and happy news. I felt I would spoil it somehow."

"Neville Longbottom", Luna fixed a rather intense gaze into Neville's eyes, "Don't ever think you are ruining my day with any news or thoughts you have to share with me. Please don't ever do that again." Neville nodded. He found words difficult to come by under the intensity of her gaze. "Now, will you please tell me?"

Neville motioned for Luna to sit at a low bench mounted near the terrace's stone railing and joined her when she sat. "It was a clandestine narcotics workshop. Not unlike the one you heard me describing to Reg. This one got our attention as a former Death Eater was involved."

"Death Eaters peddling magical drugs?", Luna asked, puzzled.

"There are some who are not that hardcore about blood purity. Some of them are willing to deal in unsavory practices with purebloods, half-Muggles, or pure Muggles alike, as long as it turns a profit, keeps them alive, or one step ahead of us. Or a combination of all three. Some joined the Dark Lord just because they were mercenaries. Some are looking to build empires of a different sort."

"Do they sell only in the Wizarding world?"

"I wish. When this crap makes it into the Muggle world…", Neville grimaced. "What a bloody mess. Sometimes literally. Anyways, this workshop got our attention because a former Death Eater was involved. The first team of aurors got in clean and took down all the targets. Minor injuries only. I went in after the scene was secured with a team of three others. My task was to collect all the plants used for manufacture." Luna nodded for him to continue. "The distillation apparatus was rigged. In case they were raided they wanted to level the place and take any law enforcement with them. They had well hidden explosives set up with a timer. The device was small since all the material used to manufacture the drugs would just add to the effects. When the raid began they must have triggered the timer. The first team must have cleared the place faster than expected because the blast didn't go off when they were there. It went off when my group was in there. I was one of the lucky ones." Luna moved her hand to take his. She could tell this was the most difficult part of the story. "I was one of two that survived. The other survivor had to be medically retired. I spent the better part of a month recovering. I was told I was unconscious for 4 days. The healers said it was better that way since burns are extremely painful to recover from."

Luna linked her arm around Neville's and leaned her head into his shoulder. "I'm so sorry. For you and your friends."

"They had families. They had kids. It was a bad day.", Neville said quietly. "Not the first, certainly wasn't the last."

"Is it all worth it?"

"I try to tell myself it is. You should see what some of this shit does to people. Then again, be glad you haven't seen it if you haven't."

"I wish I had been there for you."

"I'm kind of surprised none of the others told you."

"Ginny and Hermione mentioned you had been hurt. But then they mentioned Harry and Ron getting hurt before as well and all of you seem to recover just fine. I got lulled into believing yours wasn't that bad."

Neville squeezed Luna's hand reassuringly. "I'm fine."

"You almost weren't." A long silence followed before Neville decided to change the subject.

"How was Brazil?"

"Very hot, very humid. There seem to be 100 different types of snakes there and 99 of them are venomous."

"What about the last one?"

"That one tries to eat you whole."

"Ahhh…."

"Do I hear some apprehension from the slayer of Nagini?", Luna gently teased.

"Can you blame me if I still don't like them much? Even though the snake mostly dissolved it still made a mess on my sweater." Luna giggled. "How's Rolf?", Neville asked rather abruptly.

Luna was quiet for moment. "He's doing fine. We broke up 6 months ago."

Neville's mouth went dry. "_That was…unexpected._", he thought. He took a quick swig of cider before replying. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's alright. Sometimes things just don't work out."

"I had thought that since you had introduced him to your father, things were going well."

"Daddy did think well of Rolf. And they got along. But that wasn't a guarantee things would work out." Neville simply nodded in a silent reply. "How are things with Hannah?", Luna asked.

Neville was so distracted that he nearly missed Luna's question. "She's fine too. We broke up about a year ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that too." Luna paused to smooth out an imaginary wrinkle in her dress. "Aren't we a pair? Neither of us seems to be able to maintain a relationship."

"She wasn't you.", Neville quietly said. Luna raised her head from his shoulder and faced him with a surprised, wide-eyed expression. It was clear she did not quite believe what she had just heard. Neville swallowed and found his resolve once more. "It wasn't fair to her. Someone else was on my mind. You."

"Neville…", Luna began.

"I'm sorry." Neville said. "I know I'm dumping this on you from out of the blue. But it's the truth. I just… felt like I had to tell you."

"This is very sudden Neville. I'm…not sure what to-"

"Luna! Hermione's about to throw the…bouquet…", Ginny's voice broke in as she came walking out onto the terrace. Luna and Neville abruptly broke apart at their friend's sudden presence. It was clear from the look on her face that Ginny wondered if she had interrupted a "moment".

Luna rose and straightened out her dress. "Thank you for letting me know Ginny."

"I figured you wouldn't want to miss that. But first, Ron is going to throw the garter. I was going to ask if you had seen Neville."

Neville rose as well at the news. "Well, I guess my presence is required. Thank you for letting me know Ginny." As the three of them moved to re-enter the banquet hall, Neville hesitated. "Luna?" The former Ravenclaw and Gryffindor both turned. Neville held out Luna's shoes that she had left behind under the bench. "I think you'll want these back. Even if they're not that comfortable."

Luna smiled as she accepted the shoes from Neville's outstretched hand. "Thank you."

"Will you be around after the reception? For the next few days, I mean."

Luna nodded. "I'm staying with my father right now."

"Can we meet again? We didn't finish talking and…I still want to talk with you."

"Yes.", Luna said in a voice just above a whisper.

"I'll be in touch soon." Neville picked up his glass and re-entered the hall. As Luna moved to follow him, she noticed Ginny throw a very knowing grin in her direction.

"Sorry for interrupting you two."

"It's alright Ginny."

"So, what was all that about?"

"I'm still not sure myself."

**Author's Note: I figured the life of an auror can be pretty tough. Again, I took some liberties with Neville's experiences. I figured his language has probably gotten a little coarser as well. Neville's story to end the conversation he did not want to have was based off the experiences of a co-worker of mine who used to work in Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams. His stories contain some truly disturbing stuff.  
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**The pace of my writing has slowed somewhat as my family and I will be moving soon. Rest assured, I am determined to finish this story and I will not abandon it. I'm not sure how many out there are reading this but even if there aren't any, I am still adamant about finishing the story. If you are reading, please take a few minutes and write a review. At the very least, it would be good to know that I have not drifted woefully off course with these characters.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

Luna looked up as she heard footfalls approaching. Neville slowly approached her, looking slightly nervous as he had so often at Hogwarts. She had a brief thought that had she not known him so well, she might not have guessed that he was actually a veteran auror. Luna rose from her spot kneeling before a shrub behind her father's home. "H-hi Luna. Your father said you were back here."

Luna smiled gently. "_He even sounds nervous. I suppose I can't blame him._", she thought. "Hello Neville, it's good to see you." Neville managed to smile back as Luna started toward him. "If you'll excuse me for just a moment, I just need to finish this."

Neville followed Luna as she headed toward the front yard of the house. He noticed that she was holding a stick with a couple of green and black colored insects crawling on it. He watched as she held the stick to a tree and worked the insects onto the leaves. "Are those Caladan Beetles?"

"Yes.", Luna answered, "I found some in a shrub in the backyard. I'm just moving them to this dirigible plum tree. They're a natural control for the aphids that like to nest on the leaves. You know about these beetles?"

Neville nodded. "I read about them back in school. You have to know a little about insects if you are going to work with plants. I mostly just learned about the ones that can damage plants and the ones used to control those insects. Would you like any help?" Neville found that he felt gratified when she nodded. He picked up a stick from the ground and followed her back to the shrub near where he had found her. For the next 20 minutes they worked in silence coaxing beetles onto the sticks they held and then on to the dirigible plum tree.

"I'll think that should suffice.", Luna said with a satisfied smile after a quite a few beetles were devouring the aphid clusters on the leaves.

"If you don't mind, I came here today because I wanted to continue our conversation from a couple nights ago.", Neville said while alternating his gaze between the plum tree and Luna's face.

"The night of Hermione and Ron's wedding?" Neville nodded. "I recall that you had more you wanted to say."

"Did you know that Muggles maintain standing armies?"

Luna blinked, a little confused as to the sudden change of subject, but she decided to let Neville follow his train of thought. "No, I'd never heard of that."

"Most Muggle nations do. The numbers in each army range from thousands to millions."

"Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix never came close to that number. I don't even think Voldemort gathered anything close to those numbers. The Muggle world must be quite a dangerous and violent place to need that many."

"It is. There is almost always a war going on somewhere in it."

"Neville, while this is quite fascinating to discuss, I'm a little confused as to how this relates to us."

"Just hear me out, please. I've spent a lot of time thinking this over. If you still think I'm crazy after listening to everything I have to say, I won't blame you but all I ask is for you to listen and think about it."

Luna nodded for Neville to continue. "Go ahead Neville, I'm listening."

"While I was on tours of the Muggle world in my last year at the academy, I met with quite a few soldiers in the UK military. Many of them had served overseas and had been apart from their families during their service. Many of these soldiers had wives, children, girlfriends, or fiancées. And they would be gone for months, or even up to a year! I remember some saying they have been away for 18 months! If they were gone for a year or more, they might get to see their loved ones maybe for a two week holiday during that whole period. Sometimes the only contact they had was through the post or through something they call the Internet where they send messages, or talk, or use something like a camera where they can see and hear each other. But the Muggle post takes days at best and weeks at worst to send messages. And sometimes they can't communicate by any means at all for weeks at a time for various reasons. My point is though, they find ways to make their relationships, their marriages work. I asked one bloke how he could stand all the separation, traveling, stress, and long distance relationships. And he said to me, 'Home is wherever she is, mate. You sort of get used to it, but more importantly, you work together to make it work.' I think I understand what he meant. If they can do it Luna, why can't we? Just because we're not right next to each other, why can't we be together?"

Luna remained silent for a few moments, mulling over everything Neville had just said. It wasn't the most coherent speech but eloquence was never one of Neville's strong suits. Still, he had improved since his Hogwarts days. Luna could definitely tell that Neville had devoted considerable time thinking this through, which is why she chose her next words carefully. "These Muggle relationships Neville, how many of them work out in the end? What percentage?"

To her surprise, Neville's reply was delivered without hesitation or flinching on his features. "About half don't work out. The odds are stacked against them. It takes a lot of work on the part of those who do succeed."

"Is that really what a relationship should be? Always having to work at it?"

"Luna, what relationship doesn't require that? For that matter, what good things in life come without work?"

"As you said before, the odds would be against us."

"We've taken on worse odds before in our life. Who knew a bunch of students could take on Death Eaters and survive? I think our odds are better in this case. At any rate, I don't care about the odds. Odds don't matter if you never even take the chance. This is us Luna! This is something I am willing to fight for. I think WE are worth fighting for!"

"Neville, I have no doubt that you have given this a lot of thought. But I have to ask, are you sure about this? I'll still be traveling and I will still be gone a lot."

"I know that. But I don't believe we have to see each other every minute of the day to love each other and be together. Like that soldier said to me: Home is wherever you are. It goes beyond being a physical place, it becomes a concept. As long as I know you'll come back to me, as long as I know you're with me here-", Neville put his hand over his heart, "- and I'm with you there-", he pointed to Luna's chest, "-I'll be fine with that."

"You're really sure about that?", Luna asked with a slight tremor in her voice.

"Luna, it's not like you're going to be gone for years fighting a war somewhere…are you?", Neville asked. Luna shook her head with a slight upturn to the corners of her mouth. Neville had a sudden mental image of Luna in British DPM-style camouflage but quickly shook it off. "I can't guarantee this will work, if that's what you're asking. But I know it won't work if we never try and I am almost certain it will be something we regret. I still love you and I wish we had never broken up. But I don't know if you feel the same. Tell me that you don't still feel something for me and I'll drop this whole idea. And I'll never bother you with it again."

Luna stared at Neville with a look that hinted of some anxiety. He had to admit that he had rarely seen Luna like this and it made him somewhat nervous just to see it. "I do still love you Neville. But I'm afraid…"

Neville stepped forward and took her hands in his. "So am I. But I know that loving you means loving all of you. And that includes the part of you that wants to find all the magical creatures hidden in every corner of this world. Do I want you around as much as possible? Of course I do. But do I want to see you happy? Do I want to see you pursuing your dreams and goals? Absolutely."

"You're being quite the generous one in this Neville."

"It's not all giving on my part. I do work some rather long and odd hours as an auror."

Luna looked down at their clasped hands for a few moments as she thought his words over. "I think I can handle that. Like you said: We don't have to see each other every minute of the day to love each other and be together.", she said with a gentle smile.

Neville broke into a wide grin that nearly overflowed with relief. "I know this won't be easy and it's going to take some getting used to. I can't promise a faerie tale but I can give you my word I'll do my best."

"I never expected a faerie tale Neville, I prefer fables anyways. And I know you'll do your best. I promise I'll give you my best as well."

Neville pulled Luna toward him and engulfed her in a hug. "I promise I'll do my very best to make you happy Luna."

"Don't forget to make sure you're happy too. I'll not have you making me happy at your expense. This is supposed to be give and take on both our parts to make it work."

"You're right. We're in this together." They stood, enjoying their embrace for a few moments before Neville spoke again. "My mind is a still a little fuzzy after that grand speech I just made. So, just to be sure, this does mean you're saying yes….right?" Luna broke into a laugh against his chest. "_Oh how I've missed that sound._", he thought.

"Yes, Neville. It means I'm saying yes."

"Oh good. Just making sure."

Luna pulled back a little to look over his face. "It looks to me that wrackspurts have afflicted your mind again. It's been quite some time so you probably didn't even recognize it.", she said with some amusement in her voice.

"I wouldn't be surprised. My mind certainly feels fuzzy right now."

"I'll bet you've long forgotten the countermeasures against them haven't you?", Luna asked with a somewhat mischievous smile on her face.

Neville missed her expression as he searched through his memory. "I remember you told me before." He shook his head in mild frustration. "My memory is still not the best. Ummm, let's see…you had to turn something inside out, ri-mmph!" Neville found his answer interrupted by Luna lips pressing against his own in a kiss. "_Ah yes, how could have I forgotten?_"

**Author's Note: My wife and I had some conversations similar to this one before we were married and still dating. I was still on active duty in the military at the time and away from home quite a bit. She put in a lot of time and effort convincing me that she could handle it. And handle it she did.**

**Caladan beetles are an homage to Frank Herbert's "Dune". Caladan is the homeworld of House Atreides and green and black are the house's colors.**

**Special thanks to ozwoman and cappie lover for reviewing! Thanks to everyone who is reading and hope you are enjoying the story!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

Luna and Neville did not end up having their "first" date (The first date since their reunion, that is) until a couple of weeks after they decided to rekindle their relationship. Neville had encountered a particularly busy period at work and had to cancel their initial attempt at a first date. He was slightly ashamed at first that it was his schedule that was responsible for cancelling but Luna did not seem to mind. She gently teased him about this fact and made it clear she did not hold it against him. Neville kept this in mind for the right way to handle things with her future schedule.

Neville found himself feeling inexplicably nervous. This was not their first date together and they had certainly been together in more intimate scenarios. But Neville could not shake his sudden case of nerves. This was compounded by his trademark clumsiness and penchant for misfortune. As he went to open the door to the restaurant, he happened to pick the double door that was locked for some unknown reason and ended up pulling himself into the door and smacking his forehead into the glass. Thankfully, the only damage was to his pride. Neville smiled sheepishly as he moved to hold open the other door for Luna. Then, on the way to their table, he came within a hair's width of colliding with a waiter carrying a flambéed entrée. The disaster was averted only by the fact that Luna had linked her arm through his and had steered him away from fiery catastrophe at the last moment. And finally, Neville had promptly knocked over a water glass with a shaky hand only minutes after sitting down. Thankfully, the tablecloth was the only casualty and their waiter soon found them another table. Neville cursed his clumsiness for the umpteenth time in under half an hour. "_What the bloody hell is WRONG with me?_", he thought. "_I'm acting like a clumsy adolescent instead of the confident 20-something year old I am supposed to be!_" As he looked up to face Luna, he was relieved to see she did not look annoyed. Quite to the contrary, she wore an amused smile on her face. Something about her expression let him know that everything would be fine. Neville found that he was finally able to relax a little and even crack half a smile.

Their first date was simple affair, dinner at a restaurant and a chance to catch up with each other. At least, that's what Neville initially thought. Therefore, he was surprised with Luna's conversation starter. "Since this is our first date Mr. Longbottom, I think we should get to know each other. Tell me about yourself."

Neville's mouth gaped open for moment as he tried to determine if Luna was serious or not. She smiled benignly back at him and gave him no indication that she was joking. Neville made a mental note that if Luna really was bluffing, to never play cards with her. "W-well…ummm…", he hesitatingly began. "_Good Lord, I am acting like I REALLY am on a first date!_", he thought. "…please call me Neville, for starters. I live in London, I work at the Ministry of Magic as an auror, I attended Hogwarts where I was sorted into Gryffindor, I'm an only child, and…oh, and I was once part of an underground resistance movement against a dark conspiracy but that's hardly worth mentioning."

Luna's smile broadened. "That's fascinating! You live in London?"

Neville couldn't help but break into laughter. "Yes, it's exhilarating. Your turn, though. Tell me about yourself Miss Lovegood."

"Please, no need to be so formal, call me Luna. Where to begin… I also attended Hogwarts where I was sorted into Ravenclaw. I happen to be an only child as well. I work as what you could call a 'wizarding naturalist'. Some have called it magizoology but there is some debate about that. I tend to live out of a tent during my travels. And come to think of it, I was once part of an underground resistance movement against a dark conspiracy as well!"

"What are the odds of that?", Neville said, easily slipping into his role and playing along. "That is a truly amazing coincidence. It's almost like we've met before."

"I'm not so sure of that. I think I would have remembered someone like you."

"I'm not what you would call the memorable type. I'll admit though, I don't have the greatest memory in the world."

"Of course you're the memorable type, I recall someone reminding you of that. I also seem to recall that the resistance movement was led by a dashing young man with dark hair."

"Yes, I recall that too. He seemed to have a penchant for finding himself the repeated target of the conspiracy.", Neville said while thinking that Luna must be referring to Harry.

"But then he left on a quest and the mantle of leadership was passed to another dashing, dark-haired young man. An initially shy fellow, who thought he wasn't anybody, let alone a hero."

"Sounds like an unlikely leader."

"It does doesn't it? That's why it was such a surprise when he stepped up and did a marvelous job."

"Did he now? Well good for him, glad to hear he got a hold of himself! I'll bet he had some good friends to help him along to that end. I think I remember hearing about him. Didn't he and his friends run amuck in the Ministry one night?"

"Yes. They ended up causing quite a bit of damage."

"Wasn't there a beautiful, quietly intelligent blonde girl in that group of young upstarts?"

"The intelligent one was brunette."

"No, I'm sure there was an intelligent blonde one as well. Because she took the dashing, dark-haired young man's hand during that adventure."

"And the dashing, dark-haired young man took her hand too."

"Wait, when did Harry take your hand?", Neville deadpanned. Luna broke into laughter at Neville's outburst and he easily joined in with her. "_I missed this._", Neville thought, "_I missed how musical her laughter sounds._"

"_I missed this._", Luna thought, "_I missed how warm it makes me feel to see him smile and hear him laugh._"

More importantly, the latent tension in their "not a first date but still a first date" was broken and they found that they could finally, truly relax and enjoy each other's company.

_Four Weeks Later_

Luna stared up at the ceiling in silence. It wasn't that she didn't have anything to say, she felt that she probably had quite a bit to say. But she was wondering how to put her thoughts into words and she was, quite honestly, still trying to catch her breath. Luna was well aware that Neville was probably thinking something similar to her thoughts, since he was lying in bed next to her. And neither one of them was wearing much at the moment. Upon further reflection, she decided that wearing nothing at all was probably more accurate.

It was actually Neville who broke the silence first. "Erm...uhhh…wow…"

Luna could not help but smile at least a little. "_Classic Neville_", she thought. "This was…unexpected.", she replied.

"Yeah."

"But not unpleasant."

"Not at all."

"It was actually great."

"Yes, it certainly was."

"I certainly didn't expect this on a second date."

"Neither did I."

"Just to let you know, this is not a habit of mine."

"Me either. I mean we've only had our second date like you said and it's been what? Four weeks since we started going out again?"

"Yes, about four weeks."

"I don't regret this."

"Neither do I."

There was another long silence as each of them struggled with their thoughts. "It isn't really our second date.", Neville began.

"No, not really."

"But it still is at the same time."

"Sort of."

"Let's sort it out in the morning."

"Things usually look better in the morning."

"Would you like to stay the night?"

"Yes. We'll talk in the morning."

"In the morning."

_The Next Morning_

Neville watched Luna over the rim of his cup of steaming tea. He knew she was aware that he was watching her intently so there was no use in him being surreptitious about it. Luna's eyes looked up from her apparent examination of the shade of blue on her cup as she set it down. "It's not polite to stare Neville", she said with a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Sorry." Neville flushed slightly. "I'm having a little trouble organizing my thoughts."

"Just relax Neville. I'm not going to disappear."

Neville nodded. "I know."

"And you can trust me enough to speak your mind."

Neville paused and his brow furrowed in concentration, taking his turn to examine the shade of blue on his cup intently. Luna looked him over as he took a seat opposite her at the kitchen table. As her eyes roamed over his form she remembered that she had wondered back during Ron and Hermione's wedding, if Neville had more scars that she had not seen. She had found out last night that he did indeed. As they had undressed each other she had felt the urge to smooth her hand over and kiss each patch of damaged skin, as if the action would heal him. Luna still felt a slight pang of regret that she had not been there for him. She knew there was no way she could have known since he had concealed the information from her but Luna found that provided only minor solace. Neville looked up to meet her gaze before he spoke. "It feels like we're picking up where we left off but at the same time we're not."

Luna nodded. "I had a similar thought."

"I just don't want to move too fast. To mess this-" Neville gestured back and forth between them, "-up."

"I don't want to mess us up either."

"Don't get me wrong, last night was great. It was wonderful. I still don't regret it."

"I thoroughly enjoyed last night as well." Luna felt some color rise in her cheeks at the memory of the previous night. She remembered how overjoyed she felt in the knowledge that Neville could experience such pleasure because of her. Luna felt a certain sort of pride that she was able to make him lose control in that wonderful way and completely relax into his climax. Judging from Neville's expression, she could tell that he must have been having some similar thoughts about her.

"I just don't want to move things too fast. Although between our schedules, it took us about a month just to have two dates. I think that was mostly my fault, I've been working some odd hours lately."

"No one's to blame for anything Neville. We both knew we would have to work with each other's schedules when we went into this. It's alright that we've only had two dates in a month. We don't have to feel like we have to frantically rush to make up for some sort of lost time."

"Very true." Neville let out a breath he did not realize he had been holding. "I'm glad you feel that way."

"I'm glad you understand too Neville. Let's just slow things down a little bit. Get used to each other again."

"I think that's a good idea.", Neville reached across the table to take Luna's hand and felt a reassuring squeeze from her hand.

Luna and Neville managed to make it six more weeks and four more dates before waking up next to each other again after an energetic night. They decided that was not such a bad thing.

**Author's Notes: I found this chapter somewhat difficult to write. I found myself thinking that if this was being read in an English lit class, this is where the instructor would probably discuss the significance of the color blue in their cups. Students would probably be expected to analyze the symbolism behind the different possible shades of blue, what it would mean if the shades were the same, what it would mean if they were different, and what this means for their past, present, and future relationship. Well, I am the author, and I can tell you that there is no symbolism. The cups are blue. They were staring at them because they were organizing their thoughts. They are the same shade because the cups came from the same set. There is no symbolism! Stop looking for it!**

**This is probably why I was a bad English lit student.**

**Special thanks to Maximus Artilius for reviewing and the encouragement. Thanks again to everyone who has added this to their alerts, favorites, or are just reading along. I know my pace has slowed. Moving with an infant is not an easy process. I should have written fanfic while I was in college. However, my college years pre-dated Harry Potter by quite a lot.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

Neville knew this day was coming and he knew it was the next big test of his and Luna's rekindled relationship. She was departing on a two month trip to the Canadian Pacific Coast. He felt it somewhat strange that although he knew about her impending departure, he couldn't help but feel some anxiety as the date approached. For her part, Luna had been busy making preparations for her trip and had not had much time to spend with Neville. He couldn't help but feel a little distant due to the relative amount of time they had spent together recently. But Neville had found that, with the wisdom of a couple more years of age under his belt, this was not intentional on Luna's part and in no way reflected her feelings about him. At least, he fervently hoped that it didn't. Luna's keen powers of observation had not diminished over the years and she quickly picked up on Neville's emotions in short order. Hence, Luna made sure to take some time out to reassure him. "It's only two months. I'll be back before you know it."

"I know. I've known for quite some time now. This will just take some getting used to. I've become accustomed to having you around."

"I have to admit, I've gotten used to having you around as well. But just remember, every day I'm gone brings us one day closer to when we'll be together again."

Neville smiled. "No wonder you were in Ravenclaw. So wise and eloquent."

"Why thank you my courageous Gryffindor.", Luna smiled as she leaned in to kiss him.

Neville leaned in to rest his forehead against her's. "I'll miss you. But I'll be alright. We'll be alright."

Luna nodded against his forehead. "We will."

_Several Months Later_

Neville and Luna's relationship was certainly no faerie tale. They had good times and they had some bad times. Thankfully, the good outnumbered the bad but that did not make them any more pleasant to go through. Much to both their surprise, although they did not realize until afterward, Luna was the first to snap at Neville to initiate a fight. She had returned from a two week excursion to find that he was working nights and he ended up going through a slew of 12 hour days. Luna had been looking forward to spending time with Neville after being away only to find that he was not there for her. She knew in the back of her mind that it was not his fault but she could not help but feel irritated at him for it. Afterwards, they both found that their first fight in their rekindled relationship had caused a bit of anxiety on both their parts. They both knew deep down that the spat had been a minor one and would hardly rupture their bond. However, they could not help but feel a bit rattled by it and their desire to make amends led to them making up quite easily. Much to their relief they found that they could share a smile about it after the tension had subsided. The next one was not quite so easy.

Neville returned home from work to find that Luna had returned as scheduled from a one month outing. He had been looking forward to her return all day to the point that even his co-workers had noticed he was a little distracted. Inspector Chen had decided to give Neville a break and cut him loose little early from the office. Neville entered his flat and noticed Luna's gear on the floor near the sofa. As he set his things down he heard movement coming from the direction of his bedroom. Neville walked into his bedroom intending to welcome his girlfriend back from her travels. "Hi Luna! Have you been back lo-" Neville's words came to an abrupt halt as his eyes took in the sight before him. Luna was in the bathroom, in the process of changing out a bandage wrapped around her arm. An angry looking gash on her arm stood out against her pale skin. Her wide eyes stared up in shock at his unexpected presence. Neville could tell from the look in her eyes that she had intended to be done before he returned. Only his early arrival had prevented that.

"Hello Neville. How was your day?", Luna feebly attempted.

Neville ignored her greeting for the moment. "Are you alright? What happened? How did this happen?"

"I'm fine. It looks worse than it really is. There are no toxins in it and it's actually started to heal."

"Let me help you with that." Neville moved to help her re-wrap her arm as his eyes clearly communicated, "_We'll talk later._"

A few minutes later found them seated in the kitchen as Neville set a kettle on the stove. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"I'm fine, really I am Neville."

"What happened?"

"A close encounter with a Quenya Lizard a little more than a day ago. He hid under my bag and I surprised him when I picked it up. He jumped onto my arm and used it as a base to leap away. His claws left this cut on my arm."

"It's more than just a cut Luna."

"I'm fine, it will heal. Shouldn't even leave a scar."

"You didn't send word to me about it."

"There wasn't any need to. It wasn't serious."

"And leave me to find out the way that I did?"

"I told you, it wasn't that bad Neville!"

"You still should have told me!"

"Like you told me about your injuries?" The words left Luna's mouth before she realized it. She knew they sounded spiteful but she couldn't quite help it. In the back of her mind, Luna knew this was still a sore point between them.

"That's different.", Neville answered in a flat tone that belied his own irritation.

"I don't see how."

"It is and you know it."

"No I don't, so please explain it to me Neville."

"We weren't together then."

"And that makes it right? Just because we're not sleeping together, you think I don't care?"

"That's not it at all! I didn't want to bother you with it-"

"Bother me with it? Did you ever stop to think that maybe I wouldn't mind being bothered with it? Because I cared about you enough to WANT to be bothered by it? I appreciate your consideration Neville but I am not made out of porcelain."

"I just…I just felt like…I would have been spoiling your happiness somehow. And I wasn't going to get in the way of that."

"Again, very considerate of you Neville but entirely unnecessary. I shudder to think about what would have had to happen for you to tell me something bad had happened. I know our relationship is different now Neville but when you say things like that…it feels as though you don't trust me."

"I do trust you Luna, with all that I am."

"Then we shouldn't be shutting each other out."

"Do you really want to hear all of it? Would you like to know about the nightmares as well?"

"Yes, I might as well since I get to watch you go through them."

Neville found himself brought up short by her words and he paled. "You…you've seen me-"

Luna sighed. "Yes, Neville. You keep secrets well but this is not one of them. I've known for some time now. I've seen you thrash about on the sheets. I've heard you mumble and even shout in your sleep. Those times you have woken up with me wrapped around you? Not all of them were just because I wanted to hold you close. Sometimes your fists ball up until your knuckles turn white. I do what I can to calm you down and keep you from rolling off the bed."

"If you've been witness to those, I'm surprised you're still here."

"I love all of you Neville. Just as you love all of me. You're going to have to do better than that to drive me away." Luna said with a dry smile.

"I'm sorry.", Neville said after a moment. "It's still difficult for me to talk about sometimes."

"I know. You don't have to tell me now. But when you're ready, I'm here. And I want to listen."

"Same for you."

"I know. I'm sorry too. I should have told you as well. Do you forgive me?"

"Of course."

"Even though I broke your heart so long ago?"

"Has that been bothering you all this time?" Luna's expression told Neville quite easily that it had. "It's not your fault. I should have fought harder for us."

"I still think I'm mostly to blame. And there's no way to know if we would have worked out."

"There's no way to know if we wouldn't have worked out."

"That's usually my role to be the optimist." Luna said with a half-smile.

Neville found himself warming to her humor. "We've discussed this before. If we didn't try then we definitely wouldn't be together. That's a chance I was willing to take. That's a chance I had to take. The price would have been too much for me to bear otherwise."

"Neville Longbottom, you really know how to get to a girl don't you?"

"Does that mean you forgive me for keeping you in the dark about my life?"

"Of course. We just need to communicate better."

"We'll get better at this."

"Of course we will.", Luna said with a genuine smile, "We're already well on our way." Neville found himself returning her smile easily and feeling some relief even though they had just been fighting. He was glad to see in Luna's eyes that she felt the same. Eventually, Neville shared with Luna the memories that haunted the deep recesses of his mind. As she pulled the man she loved into her comforting embrace, Luna found herself wondering if Hermione and Ginny had to deal with this for the men they loved as well.

_One Month Later_

It was rare for Luna to be apprehensive about anything. However, this was one of those occasions that would warrant some anxiety for anyone. "Neville", she began hesitantly, "There's something I've been wanting to ask you."

Neville looked up from his book. "Yes, Luna?"

"I've actually been wanting to ask you this for quite some time now. But I found myself hesitant to do so. You don't have to answer if you don't want to but I really would like for you to answer."

Neville raised his eyebrows in half-surprise and half-curiosity. "You can ask me anything Luna. I promise I'll answer as best I can."

"It's a bit of a sensitive subject." Neville nodded for her to continue and reassured her with a smile. Luna averted her gaze downward for a moment before looking back up to meet Neville's eyes. "Why did you and Hannah break up?", she asked in a quiet voice.

Neville blinked in surprise at the suddenness of her question but he could tell from her expression that this was something that had been on her mind for quite some time. He knew it had taken some courage on her part to broach the subject and chose to answer her honestly. "When it came down to it, we just weren't right for each other. Don't get me wrong, Hannah is kind, caring, and very pretty. Not that you're not any of those things I just mentioned.", Neville added hastily. Luna smiled in amusement and nodded for him to continue. "Eventually I realized that while I enjoyed spending time with her, I was not in love with her. I don't think I ever got over you. I tried to move on. I thought I was supposed to. I thought enough time had passed when I met Hannah. But I found myself continuing to think about you. I realized that I wasn't being fair to Hannah and I told her that I didn't feel strongly enough for her to continue the relationship. I think deep down she knew that I wasn't in love with her. I think that's why she didn't seem too surprised about the break-up. She might have even guessed how I still felt about you. I knew that if we stayed together, I would have been lying to her and to myself."

"I'm sorry I caused you so much heartache. And for causing you and Hannah to break-up."

"Don't be. It was my feelings, my choice. And I'd say things turned out for the better, didn't it? A colleague once told me, 'If you love something, set it free. If it returns to you, then it was meant to be.' I didn't know what it meant back then but I think I have a good understanding of it now."

Luna smiled. "Thank you for not giving up on us."

Neville smiled warmly. "You didn't give up either. Otherwise we wouldn't be here right now." As Luna blushed, Neville mentally debated whether or not to ask her what was on his mind. He figured that since the subject had already been brought up, he should take the opportunity to ask. Even so, Neville took a deep breath before speaking again. "If you don't mind me asking Luna, why did you and Rolf break up?"

It was Luna's turn to blink in surprise but given the past few minutes, she was a little bit better prepared for the question. "I think we weren't right for each other either. We met through our common affinity for magical creatures. That wasn't the only reason I went out with him though. He was kind, sweet, and quite handsome. Not that you're not any of those things.", Luna added with a smile. Neville cracked an amused grin and nodded for her to continue. "We got along quite well and he and Father thought well of each other too. We always seemed to have something to talk about and our conversations were never boring. But it always seemed like everyone expected us to get together. Our fellow naturalists, my father, his parents…everyone seemed to think that just because we both liked magical creatures, that made us a perfect match for each other. But a shared interest does not necessarily mean a romantic relationship. I realized that I did not love him as any more than just a good friend. I had to tell him, to not do so would have been cruel and dishonest." Luna glanced downward. "He took it quite hard. I can't blame him."

"I can't help but feel a bit sorry for him."

"That's rather magnanimous of you."

"I…can't help but empathize. I've been there before." Luna turned a bit redder as she looked down, unable to meet Neville's gaze at the moment. He moved to take a seat next to her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to blame you or make you feel bad."

"I can't help but still feel responsible sometimes."

"You don't have to. Like I said before, things did work out didn't they? We found our way back to each other."

"How did I manage to find a man like you?"

Neville laughed. "I should be asking how I found a girl like you. I'm just thankful that we're here, like this."

Luna leaned her head against Neville's shoulder. "I am not sure thankful is quite the word I am looking for." Neville turned his head at hearing her words. "More like blessed.", Luna said as she smiled.

_One Month Later_

"I just knew I interrupted something back then.", Ginny said with a broad smile.

"How long were you going to keep this a secret?", Hermione pressed.

"It didn't start until after the wedding and I wasn't trying to keep it from you two. We've just both been very busy."

"Uh-huh.", Ginny dryly observed.

"Not like that!", Luna protested. "And it hasn't entirely been my fault. Someone has been adjusting to newlywed life and the other is planning her own wedding."

Hermione and Ginny both had the decency to look a bit sheepish before Hermione spoke again.

"My, how we've all grown up. It doesn't seem that long ago we were worrying about OWLS!"

"I know!", Ginny added. "I would say that the boys have matured quite a bit over recent years. It would seem that their training has almost caught them up to us!"

"I think it finally gave Ron a sense of motivation. Otherwise, I don't know when he would have proposed!"

"I know it has certainly given Neville more endurance.", Luna observed. Hermione and Ginny's eyes both widened and their mouths dropped open slightly at that revelation. They both paused to absorb the boldness and the implications of what they thought Luna had to be talking about.

"R-really?", Hermione asked after moment, "That's…great."

Luna nodded, apparently oblivious to Hermione and Ginny's shock. "Apparently he took up fencing while he was at the academy. I guess the Sword of Gryffindor left an impression on him. He doesn't get to do it as often anymore but he still joins in the occasional match. I've watched him a couple of times. He seems to do alright but I have to admit, it's not as lively as quidditch. I also discovered that you're probably not supposed to do commentary at fencing matches."

Hermione and Ginny both let out breaths they did not realize they were holding in. "That's what you meant.", Ginny blurted out.

"Of course. Whatever else could you have thought I meant?", Luna asked.

"Errrm…nothing.", Hermione hastily replied, "How was Sweden?" As Luna began recounting her latest trip, Hermione and Ginny could not help but wonder, "_She must be doing that on purpose! How does she do it with a straight face?_"

_Meanwhile_

"Look at them, it's like they're comparing notes.", Ron observed from across the room.

"You do know we're not in school anymore?", Harry answered.

"I know but…I just know they're talking about us."

"In that case, I apologize for setting such high marks for you two to follow.", Harry deadpanned.

Ron rolled his eyes as Neville answered the challenge. "Save the world from an all-powerful dark lord and a fellow never lets you forget it. That was then, what have you done _lately_?", Neville answered with exaggerated emphasis on the last two syllables. They could not help but chuckle at the old (By now) joke. The three of them recalled that Neville's impression was almost a verbatim quote from Harry's first branch chief right after they completed their probationary year.

"So how is wedding planning going?", Ron asked with a barely repressed grin.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Way to pick at a fresh wound, mate. You've just been waiting all night to drop that one on me haven't you?"

"Misery loves company. It's not that bad is it? I survived it."

"You'll have to share that secret with me. I still don't know how so many shades of a single color can possibly exist. It must be the way expanding charms work. There is always more to something than it looks at first glance. Here's another mystery, who named all these shades?"

"Try not to think about it too much, it'll just make your head hurt."

"Alright, here's a better question then." Harry turned to Neville. "When are you planning on joining us in our trials and tribulations?"

Neville glanced down at his feet for a moment. "Actually, I've been thinking about it for quite some time."

"You're serious?", Ron and Harry blurted out simultaneously.

Neville nodded. "I think I've known for a long time now. I just didn't let myself believe it. But now, I can't imagine life without her. I love her. And I want to spend the rest of my life loving her and making her happy."

"You've got it bad my friend.", Ron said with an amused grin.

Harry clapped Neville on the shoulder. "Luna's a fine lady Nev. Best not to keep her waiting."

"Have you decided on a plan to propose yet?", Ron asked.

"I have absolutely no idea.", Neville said with resounding confidence.

"Agh…Neville…" Both Gryffindor alumni brought their hands to their foreheads in exasperation as Neville took a long pull from his soda.

**Author's Note: The Quenya Lizard is a tribute to J.R.R. Tolkien and The Lord of The Rings saga. Quenya is the main Elven dialect spoken in Middle-Earth.**

**Fights are a very normal part of relationships. There is such a thing as an excessive amount and it is usually a sign that something is wrong. But you can't expect two people, no matter how much they love each other, to never argue or be annoyed with each other. However, I knew some people who would think they had found the perfect person and then they had their first fight and they would think, "Oh no! We had a fight! That means our love wasn't true! We never meant to be! It's all over." I kid you not, I saw this more times than I care to remember. As I am fond of saying, "Real life isn't a faerie tale." If that's what you are expecting, buckle up because you are in for a very rough ride. Every relationship will encounter challenges, it's what you learn from those trying times that really counts.**

**I am not quite sure why I like Neville and Luna's characters so much and why I like them together so much. I've mentioned before how I like to speculate on supporting characters. That is something I have done for virtually every TV show, movie, anime I have watched, or book I have read. I really can't explain what it is about Neville and Luna that compelled me to even write a fanfic about them. I just can't put my thumb on what makes me think they make a great couple and it really puzzles me at times. I know I'm not the only one out there that thinks they make a good couple. I mean, there's a song written about them for crying out loud!**

**Special thanks to Weasley-Ronnie for the review and the compliments. I am very, very grateful for your encouragement. Thank you again to everyone for reading, adding to your favorites / alerts list, and for your patience! I promise this story will continue!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

Neville did not think he had ever felt so terrified before in his life. He recalled his first flying lesson on a broom so many years ago. Dangling high above the ground and wondering how much pain he would experience smashing to the ground. That was peanuts compared to this. Neville remembered facing Voldemort and his army of followers. He remembered locking eyes upon that ghastly visage. He recalled feeling almost a physical force repelling him under the malevolent gaze of so many dark wizards and witches. That felt like just a flesh wound now. This was a challenge unlike any other. Neville was sure that if he allowed himself to stew in this any longer his mind would melt and drain out his ears.

The London Eye is not your average, everyday Ferris Wheel. The massive structure takes 32 ten ton capsules up to a height of 135 meters (443 feet) at a rate of 0.9 kilometers (0.6 mile) per hour. Under ideal conditions, one can take in a breathtaking view of about 40 kilometers (25 miles). The attraction is very much a landmark in London and a very popular tourist destination. This is one reason why Neville considered himself extremely lucky that there were only three other people in the capsule he and Luna were riding in. He dreaded the thought that they might be stuck in a crowded, noisy capsule. Neville had no idea if Luna liked Ferris Wheels or if she had ever even been on one. However, she had not shown any reluctance when Neville suggested they visit the London Eye and she seemed to be enjoying the experience. He was glad for that since he was nervous enough already. Neville's throat seemed impossibly dry and he was sure his heart was beating so loud that Luna could hear it from where she was standing. As he watched Luna taking in the view, he noticed The Eye had reached the apex of its revolution. The Thames River wound its path into the distance and Palace of Westminster lay in front of them. "_This is it._", Neville thought, "_This is the moment._" He took a deep breath and prayed that his voice would not fail him. Neville reached into his pocket and fumbled for a moment to bring out a black, velvet-covered box. He then dropped to one knee beside her. "Luna?", he began in a voice that barely belied his nervousness.

Luna turned, glancing up to meet Neville's voice. She looked down a split second later, surprised to find him at a level below her height. "Yes Neville? What are you doing down there? Is the view better there? Should I kneel too?" Neville, to his relief, managed to catch her hands before she could move. He looked into her inquisitive eyes and was immediately consumed with the thought of how much he loved just having her in his life.

How he treasured their friendship.

How she seemed to shrug off those who thought she was "loony" so easily.

The way she would twirl a stray lock of hair around her finger when she was engrossed in her reading.

The way her eyes would light up at the thought of new discovery.

The way her eyes would brighten even more when she returned from travelling or he returned from work.

The way she could melt away the stress and tension of the day in him with a simple touch.

The way she could giggle at his clumsiness and it was not insulting.

How beautifully she could sing, in tune even though she did not have the strongest of voices.

How she didn't care if she knew all the lyrics to a song, she would make some up on the spot to follow the melody.

The way she managed to keep her wand behind her ear for hours at a time.

The way that she danced like no one was watching.

The way that she danced even when she knew people were watching.

The fact that she still danced with him even though he had stepped on her toes a few times.

The way she held him close with her arms, legs, and her entire body as she encouraged him to reach that wonderful peak while they were making love.

That unique smile she would direct only at him, that only he could tell was different, that let him know it was just for him, that told him she loved him.

That distinct musical quality to her laughter.

The way she would patiently listen to his stories about work or herbology.

The way he knew she was being sincere in her interest because she paid close enough attention to ask questions.

The way she could still make him feel afflicted by wrackspurts.

How she would never admit that she was a "pudding snob" and her favorites were the ones she made herself.

The way that she still liked to go barefoot even though no one was stealing her shoes.

The way she could make him feel warmth that spread from his heart out to his extremities with a just a look.

"_Yes_", Neville thought, "_This is definitely what I want._" He opened the black, velvet covered box to reveal a rose gold ring set with a square, velvet black stone, flanked by a sapphire on either side. Tiny sapphires twinkled along the band to disappear into the velvet in which the ring was nestled. "Luna Lovegood", Neville began with a slight tremor to his voice, "Will you marry me?"

Luna's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in surprise as her hands came up to her lips. She looked from Neville's face to the ring and back again as if to reassure herself that this really was happening. "_Yes, this IS real!_", her brain confirmed a split second later. This was quickly followed by Luna feeling a pleasant warmth in her cheeks as she thought of how much she loved just having Neville in her life.

How she treasured their friendship.

The way he was so courageous and dedicated to his duties.

The way he was so modest about the great things he had accomplished.

The way that no matter how hard he tried, the hair on the rear, right quarter of his head could never quite be completely tamed.

The way he would twirl his wand like a drumstick in his hand when he was deep in thought, yet he somehow lacked the dexterity to catch anything thrown to him.

The fact that he remembered to put the toilet seat down (Luna surmised that his grandmother had him well-trained).

The way he still said, "See you in my dreams" to her whenever either of them had to travel.

The way he swept her up in a bear-hug, picked her up, and twirled her around when they were reunited.

The way he would patiently listen to her stories about magical creatures.

The way she knew he was being sincere in his interest because he paid close enough attention to ask questions.

That distinct, goofy quality to his laughter when he found something absolutely hilarious.

The fact that he had a perfect sense of rhythm even though he could not carry a tune in bucket.

The way he tried so earnestly to hold on long enough for her to reach that wonderful peak while they were making love.

The way he snuggled with her afterwards.

The way he was so careful with her when they danced (Luna had long since forgiven him for stepping on her toes).

The way only one of his eyebrows would rise when she said something he found completely off-the-wall.

The cute way in which he would subconsciously rub the back of his neck with his hand when he felt embarrassed or self-conscious about something.

The fact that whenever she was troubled with the feeling, "_Why would a guy like him be with a girl like me?_", he made her realize, "_Bollocks to that question._"

The way he could make her melt on the inside when he told her or showed her that he loved her.

Luna suddenly realized Neville was still waiting for answer, although he was already looking quite anxiety ridden. She chalked that up to Neville being Neville and not to her surprise. "_Yes_", Luna thought, "_This is definitely what I want._" Luna knew she needed to answer the man patiently kneeling before her and she somehow managed to find her voice again. As she brought her hands down from her mouth, Luna nodded and spoke in a soft voice, "Yes." Neville released a sigh of relief as he broke into a wide grin. "Yes, I will marry you Neville Longbottom."

"I…I am s-so relieved. I felt so nervous! I mean, I thought there'd be a good chance you'd say yes but there is always that voice of self-doubt. I kept on rehearsing it over and over in my mind until I-"

Neville found his increasingly incoherent babbling interrupted by Luna's lips on his own. "You were very brave Neville. My dear, true Gryffindor."

"I was so afraid I would drop the ring, or stammer too much, or just do something to mess it all up."

"You were perfect Neville." Luna's eyes drifted downward to the box in Neville's hand. "It's absolutely beautiful."

"Oh right!", Neville mentally shook himself back into action. He pulled the ring from the box and took Luna's hand to slide the ring onto her finger. He stood, taking both of her hands into his. "Thank you for making me the happiest and luckiest man in the world Luna."

"Thank you for having me Neville. And thank you for planning all of this."

At that point, the two of them became aware of the applause coming from the few other people in riding in the capsule with them. They had no idea who these strangers were and they, likewise, had no idea who Luna and Neville were. It was obvious that none of that mattered at the moment as there were smiles all around. The newly engaged couple found themselves shaking hands and being congratulated by their fellow riders.

_Some Time Later_

Neville took in a deep breath. He knew he shouldn't but he could not help himself as he edged toward the door. It was not that Luna was in any real danger but he still felt as if she were in some sort of peril. Neville knew the notion was logically absurd but emotions paid no heed to logic. He knew what Luna was facing, which was why he felt some anxiety on her behalf. Neville knew that his grandmother, Augusta Longbottom, was a formidable figure and his beloved fiancée was now facing her at his grandmother's request. She had only said that she wanted to talk with Luna…alone. Although there was nothing to indicate anger in her tone, Neville knew that look in her eye. Augusta was going to wring Luna's mind out like a wet rag until she heard all that she wanted to know. Neville knew it was futile but he had to at least make an effort at mounting a rescue mission should things go horribly wrong. "_I'm being an utter fool!_", he thought, "_What could possibly happen?_" Neville was suddenly struck with a vision of the kitchen in flames, holes in the walls, and Luna and his grandmother dueling like Bellatrix Lestrange and Molly Weasley. He shook off the vivid image and strained to listen in on the conversation going on behind the closed door.

"So my grandson finally worked up the courage to ask you to marry him."

"Yes, it was very sweet. He proposed to me on The London Eye. Have you ever been on it?"

"No." Augusta answered in a clipped tone. "Did he ask for your father's blessing to have your hand in marriage?"

"No."

"Hmmm…."

"Neville didn't need to. My father won't mind. He's not one for traditions like that."

"….hmmmmmm….."

"Besides, it is my decision and not my father's."

Augusta's expression did not change as she took a sip from her tea cup. "I remember you decided to end your relationship with my grandson some years ago."

Luna looked down briefly at her own tea cup cradled in her hands. "Yes. It was my fault. I had thought we were not going to work out in the long run. I was wrong. I should have believed in us more. I am very fortunate that Neville did. And that he did not give up."

"Yes. Neville has recently displayed a tendency to stand up for what he believes in. I must say that I have been pleasantly surprised."

"I have seen Neville do that for several years now. I've always thought that a part of his character."

Augusta's gaze leveled directly at Luna. "I sincerely hope that you do not have a change of heart in future as you did in the past."

Luna noticed that Augusta's tone had not been overly sharp but it did not have to be. The point was clear. Luna met Augusta's determined gaze as she spoke, "Mrs. Longbottom, I do take my promises very seriously. I would not have given my word to Neville if I had any doubts or thought otherwise. I cannot change the past but I give you my word about our future."

Augusta noticed that Luna's tone had matched her own. Neither of them were aware of a soft popping sound Neville was certain he had heard in the back of his skull. He was certain the sound was the result of several of his synapses fusing due to his listening in on the conversation. Augusta eyes glanced down to Luna's hand before speaking again. "That is a beautiful ring Neville selected."

"Thank you, I like to think so as well."

"Black diamonds are a rather unusual choice for an engagement ring."

"They are. Neville said that they represent those who are independent-minded and usually don't follow the crowd. I think he was quite thoughtful to pick out a ring like this."

"Indeed. I don't think I have met many who have your stalwart independence and determination to forge your own path, regardless of what others think. You would do well to remember that in the future. That ring will serve as a good reminder."

"I like to think Neville is a good reminder of that as well. I consider myself blessed to have him in my life."

Augusta's expression softened almost imperceptibly. Had Luna not been watching her so intently, she was sure she would have missed it. "I think he is equally as blessed to have you in his life." And with that, Luna knew she had passed some sort of test in Augusta Longbottom's book. She intended to marry Neville with or without his grandmother's blessing but she admitted that this did make things a bit easier. Augusta smiled for first time since they had sat down across from each other. "I know at times that I may seem harsh to my grandson but I do care deeply about his happiness. I do believe with all sincerity that you do make him happy. Welcome to the Longbottom family Luna!" Luna smiled broadly at Neville's grandmother. "And with that, I think we've kept my grandson waiting long enough." Augusta flicked out her wand with practiced ease and the door to the kitchen suddenly swung open to dump Neville unceremoniously to the floor. Luna had to admit that she was not surprised to see her fiancé on the floor. Augusta pretended not to notice as she spoke, "Neville, would you be dear and refresh our tea cups please?"

_Later_

Neville was not surprised that Xenophilius Lovegood asked to speak with him in private much like his grandmother did with Luna. What he was surprised with was the actual conversation itself.

"So my daughter accepted your proposal of marriage?", the older man half-asked, half-stated.

"Yes. I'm sorry I did not ask for your blessing first.", Neville answered.

Xenophilius waved him off and smiled. "No need for that, I've never put much stock in that tradition. I do have one important question however."

"Yes, Mr. Lovegood?"

"It's Xeno or Xenophilius if you must, remember? Or Dad or Father if you really insist on some sort of formality. My question is, you're still an auror correct?

"Yes."

"And you will be in that profession for the foreseeable future?"

"Yes."

"Are you now or have you ever been a member of or party to The Rotfang Conspiracy?" The smile faded from Xenophilius' face and his tone became serious.

Neville was glad this was not the first time he had heard this subject. Otherwise, his reaction would most likely have been inappropriate. "No."

Luna's father broke into a wide smile. "Well, that's good enough for me! Welcome to the Lovegood family my future son-in-law!"

Neville's relief lasted all the way to dinner. Xenophilius insisted on filling Neville's plate and hefted the platter of roasted chicken pieces in one hand. "So Neville, which do you prefer, leg or breast?" Neville was struck silent for a moment as he looked to Luna. Her smile remained on her face and it seemed as if she did not even hear the question, let alone pick up on the subtext. As Neville looked up to his future father-in-law's face, he noticed the man seemed to be examining him like a new species of human…or insect.

Neville took a moment to gather himself before answering. "Wing, please."

It was going to one of those types of relationships.

_Some Months Later_

Not many people visited this part of the coastline. Indeed, Luna reflected that she only knew the place because Bill and Fleur Weasley's residence was only a few kilometers away. That is what made this location so aptly named. The Wayfarer's Chapel is located in a grove of Cornish elm on a rather lonely cliff overlooking the Cornwall coastline. Neville had pointed out that Cornish elms were, ironically, no longer actually found in Cornwall. The local magical residents had managed to preserve some to keep some of the trees in their native land. Neville had managed to look sheepish after rattling off that information, as if he had said too much. It was one of the things Luna found endearing about him and her smile told him that he had done nothing wrong. As soon as Luna and Neville had laid eyes on the chapel, they knew this was the place. The chapel itself was constructed of glass for as much of the structure would allow. A few beams and frames in the walls and roof were all the wood that was used in the structure. The doors were also wood and ornately carved. The floor and pews were all made from the same type of stone while the altar was carved from white marble. A few stone buildings and a modest garden rounded out the rest of the property. The wide, glass panels in the walls and ceiling of the chapel allowed for breathtaking views of the elms, sky, and coastline below the cliff. The only drawback was that the chapel itself was quite small but neither Neville nor Luna wanted a large wedding. They could think of no better place to seal their union than in a place that symbolized their bond with flora and fauna, respectively.

"I must say Nev, your color is looking far better than Ron's was before his wedding.", Harry observed.

"I have fair skin. The curse of a redhead.", Ron protested.

"I think that's because I've been waiting for this day for longer than I can remember. I just may not have known it the entire time.", Neville answered as he tried to straighten his tie for the umpteenth time since he tied it.

"Well, it sure beats losing your stomach multiple times.", Ron dryly observed as he moved Neville's tie back to its proper place.

Seamus Finnegan walked in to the room serving as the groom and groomsmen's dressing room. "Alright Nev, it's time. Ready to go mate?"

"Thanks Seamus. I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Let's go!" In his enthusiasm, Neville managed to trip over the leg of a small table. To the former classmates' collective horror, the burning, scented candles on the table tumbled to the carpet. Four wands flicked out and four shouts of "_Aguamenti!_" rang out.

*FWOOSH*

"Bloody hell!"

"You've got to be kidding me!"

"Drochrath air!"

"What the bloody hell does that mean?"

"Really? Is this really the time for that?"

_Meanwhile_

Luna smoothed out an imaginary wrinkle on her wedding dress. Ginny was slipping on her shoes when her face took on a curious expression. She reached into her handbag and pulled out a small pocketwatch. She watched as a hand on the watch swung in one direction and then suddenly back to its original position. Ginny frowned for a moment and then shrugged, placing the watch back into her handbag. Luna looked on with concern for her old friend. "Are you alright Ginny?"

Ginny looked up to face Luna and smiled. "Just fine! I just had…a funny feeling…"

"About what?", Hermione asked, pausing in her final adjustment of the flowers in Luna's hair.

"Nothing. I'm sure it's nothing. I have to admit Luna, I was little skeptical at first, but green suits you.", Ginny observed while changing the subject.

"I briefly considered white but then I found this dress and I absolutely loved it."

"I'll admit Luna, I'd be surprised if you did pick white.", Hermione observed and then thought better of her answer. "Not that I mean it that way! I mean that I'd actually be surprised if you went the traditional way." Hermione's brow furrowed as she struggled verbally, "I mean-"

Luna smiled at her friend. "I know what you mean Hermione. No harm done."

As Hermione smiled with relief, there was a knock on the door. "Come in!", Luna called out.

George Weasley poked his head in, looking distinctly uneasy. "Hello ladies! Umm, just wanted to let you know that the guys are just a bit delayed. Nothing big! Everything's alright! Just a bit delayed, that's all."

Hermione wasn't fooled. "George, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong! Nothing at all, just running a bit behind schedule, that's all. I think I hear Mum calling! See you soon!" The door clicked shut as George slipped away.

"I don't think I heard Molly's voice, did you?", Luna calmly observed. She and Hermione turned to face Ginny.

Ginny offered a weak smile. "So…what made you pick green again Luna?"

**Author's Note: First, I want to send a big Thank You very, very, very much to Acacia Carter for graciously allowing me to use a ring design she created. I was unable to create one myself and I thought her's was absolutely gorgeous. I cannot thank her enough for allowing me to use the design.**

**The Wayfarer's Chapel does exist. It is located not far from where I grew up in California. The design is almost exactly as I described it in the story. The chapel is an extremely popular wedding venue. It is not uncommon for local girls to dream of having their wedding there ever since they were children. The waiting list for the chapel is often about one year out. I was married in The Wayfarer Chapel's sister chapel in Missouri. The design is much the same but glass is not used in the ceiling. The frequency of hailstorms there would end up destroying the ceiling.**

"**Drochrath air" is the Gaelic equivalent to "Damn it" in English. I have no idea if Seamus speaks Gaelic or not. Given that this is Seamus, it's a fair bet that even if he's not fluent, he would know that phrase.**

**I had a very difficult time writing Neville's conversation with Xenophilius. But I felt there had to be one so I kept at it. I also figured that if Molly Weasley has an enchanted clock, it would not be too far a stretch of the imagination for Ginny to have one as well.**

**Thank you to everyone who is still reading, favoriting, adding to alerts, and reviewing. I think a few more chapters and I'll have this wrapped up. Thanks for staying with this story everyone. A special thanks to The Sixth Sense's review. I had that thought a few times myself. I'm glad you brought it up as it has helped keep a check on my writing. I have to make a conscious effort at times to make sure I am not drawing too much on that genre and that I am trying to develop their characters within their realm.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

A fresh breeze from the ocean brought a slight chill to Luna's bare shoulders and she leaned in closer to Neville. Neville's arm around her waist moved to pull her a little closer to his side. "Cold?", he asked.

"Just a bit with that last breeze. I'm warmer now.", she reassured her new husband.

Neville leaned in to kiss her temple. "Have I remembered to tell you how beautiful you look Mrs. Longbottom?"

Luna smiled at his flattery. "Not within the last 15 minutes, I think."

"How terribly remiss of me."

"You're forgiven, Mr. Longbottom. I am sure the expression on your face when I started down the aisle more than makes up for your transgression."

"You're quite generous m' lady.", Neville replied with a grin, "Let's head back to the garden, I think I see goosebumps on your shoulder." He steered Luna away from the overlook of the coastline and started escorting her back to the sheltered courtyard garden.

"Are you sure you're not cold?", Luna asked. Neville shook his head in the negative. "Your hair doesn't look so damp anymore. I think the wind helped dry it. How did it get that way anyways?"

Neville cleared his throat as he tried to think of a way to change the subject. "Do you think this would be a good time to pay a visit?"

"I think so. We don't know how long the reception will last and we don't want to visit too late. I don't think we'd be allowed to if we showed up at too late of an hour."

"I just don't want everyone to think we abandoned them."

"Don't worry, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny will cover for us. We agreed upon this plan far in advance, remember? Besides, we'll be back for the reception. We'll just be fashionably late.", Luna said with a smile.

"You're right.", Neville smiled back, "Shall we get going then?"

Luna nodded and Neville led her into the room he and the groomsmen had used to get ready in. "It's wonderful that the Ministry allowed you to set up a Floo Network point here."

Neville's smile tightened a bit. "Well, it did take quite a bit of cajoling and the Inspector had to go to the Chief Inspector…some strings had to be pulled and were it not for Harry's help and my parents' name…but they finally agreed to allow a temporary Floo point to be set up here. I'm just glad I submitted the request early enough for all of this to be set up."

"Of course they would approve it, it's for a good cause, is it not?"

Neville smiled at his wife as he picked up a handful of Floo powder. He turned to the fireplace and threw the powder in. There was a brief flash and he and Luna stepped in as he announced, "St. Mungo's".

As Luna and Neville walked through the corridors of St. Mungo's, they attracted a few curious stares from people in the hallways. The two of them could hardly blame the onlookers for their curiosity. The sight of a man in dress robes and a woman in a wedding dress was not common at the hospital. The fact that said wedding dress was green definitely made the pair an unusual sight. Luna gave Neville's hand a reassuring squeeze as they arrived at their destination: The Janus Thickey Ward of St. Mungo's. Neville acknowledged Luna's comforting gesture with a soft stroke of his thumb against the back of her hand. It wasn't long before Neville and Luna were standing before Frank and Alice Longbottom's beds. "Mom, Dad, I'd like to present my wife and your daughter-in-law: Mrs. Luna Longbottom."

Luna gave a small wave to her in-laws. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom! It's good to see you again!"

_Later On_

Luna and Neville strolled out of the fireplace in the groom's dressing room at The Wayfarer's Chapel.

"How long do you think we'll need to stay at the reception?", Neville mused.

"Neville Longbottom! How could you even think of abandoning our guests? That's rude! And for whatever reason would you be trying to sneak out early?", Luna teased in a faux-shocked voice.

"It's not like that!", Neville began to protest even though he knew Luna was joking with him.

"I know, I know, you don't like being the center of attention.", Luna soothed.

"I'm…just not used to it."

"Don't worry. I have to admit I'd find this much more overwhelming too if I didn't have you at my side to help me through it."

"Thanks. I'm very glad you're here too, I'm not sure I could handle all this otherwise."

"For someone who has accomplished so many heroic deeds, I'd think you'd be used to it by now."

"I'm still not so sure about heroic but even so, that's easier said than done."

Luna patted his arm as they walked to the carriage waiting to take them to the reception hall. "Just try to relax and keep in mind that this is a fun occasion."

_A Few Minutes Later_

"So how did everything go?", Harry asked. Neville produced a photo that had been taken just a little earlier. Neville and Luna were standing at the bedsides of Neville's parents. Although the photo looked somewhat unusual with the state Neville's parents were in and Luna and Neville smiling in their wedding finery, anyone who knew the couple knew why they had taken a break from their wedding day to have this photo taken. And Harry knew the two of them quite well. Which was why he readily agreed to help out his friends when they approached him for help with delaying the reception in case they were delayed returning from St. Mungo's. Harry clapped Neville on the shoulder. "This is great Neville, they'd be so happy to know you and Luna took the time to do this with them."

"I'm just glad all the logistics worked out to make it happen. Thanks again for all your help Harry."

"I was just glad I could help. We're all glad we could help."

"Neville and I are very grateful to have friends like all of you.", Luna added.

Harry smiled, "You'd have done the same for us. That's what we're here for right? Now, I think your presence is requested inside…"

As a testament to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny's efforts, no one really seemed to notice that the newlyweds were delayed. Or if anyone had noticed, they didn't mind and said nothing of it. As Neville and Luna took to the dance floor to have the traditional first dance as husband and wife, everything looked fairly normal as Neville's arm slid around Luna's waist and her hand went to his shoulder. After only a few moments however, they broke apart and began turning in slow circles and waving their hands in the air in a strange pattern. There were mostly puzzled or bewildered looks on the guests' faces. Xenophilius stood and loudly applauded as Augusta's mouth dropped open in shock. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny grinned and joined Luna's father in applause. Neville found it quite easy to join in Luna's laughter as they went through their unorthodox dance. Luna was overjoyed that it had not taken much effort to convince Neville to dance this way. For his part, Neville admitted that this was a welcome break from all the pervasive formality they had encountered while planning their wedding. When Luna had brought up the subject of their first dance some weeks ago, he readily agreed with her suggestion. It was clear from her reaction that she was not sure he would so readily agree to her suggestion. Even the most traditional-minded of their guests had to admit: The newlyweds looked so happy, so what if they looked like they were shooing away flying insects?

In the years that followed, Luna and Neville would admit that the night was mostly a blur. As their friends who had married a little earlier had advised them, the experience would probably be a little overwhelming given all the build-up to their big day. Neville felt that by the time the night was halfway through, he had lost track of who was on his side of the family and who was on Luna's. Luna was just having such a good time meeting people that she did not worry about keeping track of who was from which side of the family. By about midnight, Neville and Luna were able to slip away (With a little additional help from Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny) while the party continued. Their friends did not mind helping out the newlyweds again as they had done the same at the two previous weddings. When Neville and Luna reached their honeymoon suite at the inn they had chosen, they would have been slightly surprised to find that they ended up spending their wedding night much like many other newlyweds. They were so exhausted by the events of the day that they had just enough energy to strip off their formal clothing, curl up with each other, and fall asleep.

It was an entirely different story when the two of them awoke the next morning refreshed, revitalized, and realized that they were now husband and wife. Most folks were sitting down to their noontime meal by the time Neville and Luna left their bed to face the day.

_18 Months Later_

Luna's gaze swept over her notes spread out around her. It had been a month since she had returned from her latest trip and she was hard at work putting together a manuscript. She was already a week behind schedule but she was not overly concerned. Her publisher was well acquainted with her sense of schedules. Luna glanced over to the clock and, as she noted the time, wondered if Neville would be home for dinner. He had been working some late hours over the past few days but that was not out of the ordinary. Hermione and Ginny had commiserated with her on the life of an auror's wife. Luna had to admit that it was nice having friends like the two of them since they could all understand what their husbands' careers were like. The three women discovered that the bonds they had developed years ago at Hogwarts readily lent themselves to forming an informal support group for each other. Every so often, they even managed to have a "girls' night out" while their husbands were away. Still, Luna had to admit that it was not so bad. She and Neville had, fortunately, seen quite a bit of each other during their first year (Give or take a few months) of marriage. Luna could not help but smile to herself as she let her thoughts linger on just how happy she and Neville were.

A knock at the door brought her out of her dreamy thoughts. "_That can't be Neville_", she thought, "_He has a key._" Luna looked through the peephole as she arrived at the front door. She smiled as she recognized a familiar face and swung open the door. "Hello Harry! It's good to see you! Have you come to join us for dinner? Actually, it might be just me since I don't know if Neville will be here for dinner. But all the same, will you stay?"

It was at that moment that Luna noticed that Harry was not alone. There was a younger man accompanying him who looked like a probationary auror. At least, Luna thought he was a probationary. She was basing her guess on the fact that he had that slightly overwhelmed look that she thought all of the probationaries she had met through Neville all shared. Luna also noticed that Harry did not look happy. In fact, he looked quite pale and shaken.

"Luna…", Harry hesitantly began, "I…" His mouth remained open as if to say more but no words followed.

"Harry, are you alright?", Luna asked, her voice full of concern for her friend. "Who's your friend here? Have we met before? I apologize if I've forgotten that we have."

The younger man looked even more nervous than most rookies as he spoke. "Mrs. Neville Longbottom?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yes?", Luna answered, not yet catching on to what was happening.

The man accompanying Harry stood up a bit straighter as he continued. "The Minister of Magic regrets to inform you-"

"NO!", Harry interrupted, fairly shouting at him. "Not like that! We're not doing that to her!"

It was at that moment that the reality of the situation came crashing down on Luna. She knew why Harry was here. She knew why Harry had another auror with him. She knew why Harry looked so stricken. Luna remembered a conversation she had with Neville many months ago. He had warned her of the possibility of aurors visiting their doorway. He informed her of what their solemn duty would be. Luna remembered hushed conversations with Hermione and Ginny about just such visits that other wives and husbands had received from representatives of the Auror Service. She remembered their hushed tones, as if speaking quietly would lessen the chances of it happening to them. Luna remembered shutting these memories away in a deep part of her mind, knowing that although it was a possibility, it was not something she wished to think about. She knew that Hermione and Ginny did something similar with their private fears. Now, Luna had to face those fears. She began shaking her head slowly as she backed away from the door. "No…", she began in a small, shaky voice.

"Luna, listen to me-", Harry began as he stepped into the doorway.

"No", Luna retreated backwards from Harry's advance, as if doing so could prevent the news she knew he must be here to deliver from being true. Tears welled up and began to spill from her eyes. "No, it can't be…"

Harry stopped and tried again. "Luna, Neville is-"

"NO!", Luna screamed as she sank to the floor on her knees, "Please God, no! NO! Please, NOOO!" Her voice transformed into an anguished wail as she buried her face in her hands. Harry found himself unable to continue speaking as he knelt to hug his friend. He felt Luna's sobs wrack her body and he could not help but blame himself a little for putting her in this state.

**Author's Note: It took me forever to think of a color for Luna's wedding dress. Don't even think about asking what shade of green it is or for design details, my brain might melt.**

**I liked the idea of Neville and Luna visiting his parents on their wedding day to have a picture taken. I don't think I can do the scene justice though.**

**As for their first dance, how could I not? Looking back to something I brought up in my notes from a previous chapter, it turns out there's quite a few songs about this couple out there. One of the best and most humorous I have seen is one by a group calling themselves "Luna and The Quibblers", I think. If you search for a "Love Song for Neville Longbottom" on Youtube, you'll find it. I find it difficult to imagine Luna's voice (At least from the movies) singing this song but it is a good one regardless.**

**Believe it or not, I have read that a lot of couples have admitted that they were so tired, all they could do was collapse into bed on their actual wedding night.**

**Sorry to end on such a cliffhanger but this was the best place to transition chapters. Thank you very much again to The Sixth Sense and Weasley-Ronnie for reviewing again and thank you to Mischiefer and Lily for the review! And last but not least, thanks again to everyone who is reading!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

The halls of St. Mungo's had never seemed so foreign to Luna before. She had to admit that although she did not spend that much of her time here, Luna could find her way to Neville's parents' ward by memory. Now, looking down the hallway, she felt as if this were her first time here. Luna recalled the first time Neville had brought her to meet his parents. She was certain this felt nothing like that time. Harry glanced over to his old friend as he accompanied her down the hallway. Luna's face was mask of emotionless stoicism. After her initial breakdown at her home, Harry managed to inform Luna that Neville was alive but his condition was uncertain. He had no idea how he managed to get the words out after being shaken to his core at seeing Luna fall apart. All he knew was that it was like someone had thrown a switch inside her. Luna had wiped her tears from her cheeks, caught her breath, stood up, and with an eerie calmness, simply stated to Harry, "I need to see Neville. Please take me to him." Harry considered himself fortunate that he managed to apparate them to St. Mungo's without splinching. He reminded himself never to attempt that again in that mental condition.

Harry recalled Neville once remarking to him that he found Luna difficult to read. He remembered agreeing with Neville but as he watched Luna out of the corner of his eye, he was sure this was not quite the scenario his fellow auror envisioned when he said those words. Harry found himself fraught with worry that Luna might have another episode that he had just witnessed. This was not the first time he had to deliver such news, Harry had seen wives break down before. However, he was certain that it was infinitely worse when you had to witness it from a close friend. As the two of them entered the waiting room, Harry felt a small sense of relief as he saw Ron and an older man with salt and pepper hair seated in the room. It took a moment for Harry to recognize the older man as Neville's branch chief.

Ron stood as the two of them approached. "Glad to see you two, although I wish it were under happier circumstances."

"That's very kind of you Ron." Luna's voice carried an unnerving calmness to it, at least on the surface. Anyone who had taken out the time to get to know Luna as a friend instantly picked up on the fear in her voice that would have been hidden from everyone else. All three men considered Luna a friend. "May I see him?"

Inspector Chen shook his head. "I'm sorry Luna, the healers are still working on him. They said they'd let us know as soon as possible. I've been asking for updates from everyone that I've seen coming in and out of his room. They've got the best working on him as we speak. I know it's easier said than done but we just have to wait right now."

As Luna and the inspector continued speaking, Harry pulled Ron to one side and lowered his voice. "Ginny? Hermione?"

Harry didn't really need to elaborate, Ron knew the drill. "I sent them both owls half an hour ago. They should be here any minute."

"Level with me Ron. How is he?"

Ron gave a tight frown. "Even money right now. It's not good." Harry gave a deep sigh and gave Ron's shoulder a squeeze with his hand as he looked over to Luna again.

"Seb, what happened?", Luna pleaded.

"It was a tough one Luna.", the inspector answered, "This fellow put up quite a fight."

"Inspector, please."

Seb sighed, he knew it was useless with Luna's wide eyes boring into him like they were. "We were raiding another illicit lab. This one was a big one, set up in a warehouse. There were a lot of them and the regular assault team was short-handed. We went in with them to lend a hand and even up the odds. Neville paired up with a fellow from Narcotics, Alexander McIntyre. Neville handled himself well in the raid, he and Alex supported each other well in their battles. They ended up taking on a pair of former Death Eaters in a part of the warehouse used for processing the raw product. Lots of nasty substances lying about, most of them not friendly to bare skin. Neville's adversary sent a killing curse that he managed to deflect. Neville got his opponent with an incendiary spell and the fellow took a tumble into one of the vats. That put out the flames but that turned out to be the least of that criminal's worries. Alex sent his opponent out the window with a nice stunning spell. Too bad the window was three storeys above the ground. Unfortunately, the criminal sent out a Reductor spell. It went wide of Alex and Neville but it turned out it was aimed at a high pressure storage tank next to Alex. Some of the fuel for manufacturing was in that tank and the results were explosive. Alex took the brunt of it. Neville was a bit luckier. A table helped shield him but it also slammed him into a wall across the room."

Luna looked down for a moment as he processed the information she had just heard. It took only a moment when she looked back up to meet the inspector's eyes. "Will he live?"

"We don't know yet. I'm sorry I don't have any better information that that Luna, but it's the truth. You know I wouldn't lie to you."

"Thank you Seb, for being honest with me and for being here."

"Think nothing of it. I just wish I could have done more."

Luna took the older man's hand to reassure him. "You've nothing to blame yourself for. Neville's partner, Alex, how is he?" Seb's mouth tightened into a frown for a moment before he simply shook his head, not trusting his words for the moment. "Did he have any family?"

"Wife, 2 year old son.", Seb answered. Luna could not help but feel some empathy for the woman who was most likely visiting another part of St. Mungo's for a far more unpleasant reason than the one she was here for. At that moment, Luna looked up at the sound of distinctly feminine footsteps entering the waiting room. Hermione and Ginny were walking as fast as they possibly could without crossing the threshold of the definition of running. They both nodded briefly to their husbands, who stood clear in full understanding of the situation. The two newcomers folded Luna into their embrace as fresh tears began to spill.

"How is he?", Ginny asked after a few minutes.

Luna shook her head as she wiped away some tears on her cheeks. "He's alive but they won't let me see him yet. They say they don't know if-"

"Don't think about it.", Hermione interrupted, "Nothing is for certain except that he's alive. Just focus on that for now, alright?" Luna nodded as her two friends sat her down and took up position on either side of her. There was nothing anyone could do at the moment but wait.

Over the course of the next half hour, only one healer left the ward Neville was in but he could provide no further updates. Xenophilius Lovegood and Augusta Longbottom then arrived, one right after the other. After her father provided a comforting hug, Luna was slightly surprised that Neville's grandmother swept her up in an embrace. When the older lady released her, Luna could swear she saw tears in her eyes. Shortly afterward, the younger auror that had accompanied Harry to Luna's doorstep arrived and spoke quietly to Inspector Chen. Seb nodded and turned to Luna. He quickly explained that McIntyre's widow had arrived and he was going to meet her and the Chief Inspector from Narcotics. Seb went on to reassure Luna that he would be back as soon as he could. Luna wasn't sure exactly how much time had passed afterwards but it seemed that shortly afterward, a rather senior-looking healer stepped through the double doors of the ward. Luna rose immediately to meet him. "I'm here for Neville Longbottom, is there any update on his condition?"

"Pardon miss, I was looking for the inspector.", the elder man stated, but not unkindly, "I don't believe we've met, are you related to the patient?"

"I'm his wife."

"Ah yes, I remember being told now that you had arrived. I'm Adrian Brewster, I've been working on your husband since he arrived.", the healer said as he extended his hand.

"Luna.", she answered as Luna shook the proffered hand. She noted that it was a firm, warm grip that exuded confidence through years of experience. Something about it lifted her spirits ever so slightly.

"I'm happy to tell you that he'll live-", Luna quietly let out a breath that she did not realize she had been holding in, "-but he has a long road to recovery ahead of him. I can allow a brief visitation time-", the assembled group rose as one, "-for one person only.", the healer finished. Everyone save for Luna sat back down dejectedly.

"I'd like to see him please.", Luna stated as she apologetically turned to her friends.

Hermione simply smiled by way of silently telling Luna that everyone understood. Luna gave a half-hearted smile as she turned for the doors. The healer stopped her short of the portal. "Luna, I need to inform you of a few things first. Neville is unconscious and most likely will be for the rest of the day, most likely another day as well. He's still heavily bandaged but it looks like the worst is over. I just want you to be informed of what you're about to see." At Luna's head nod, Adrian opened the doors for her. As she approached Neville's bedside she was able to get a good look at her husband's condition. She found herself thinking that Adrian's description did Neville no justice as, in her opinion, he looked infinitely worse. Luna felt her eyes well up once more as her gaze swept over him. He looked so pale and his skin looked so sallow that were it not for the slight rise and fall of his chest, Luna might have thought Healer Brewster had brought her to the morgue. Adrian conjured up some images for Luna to examine. "Inspector Chen may have informed you that your husband was caught in an explosion." Luna nodded for him to continue. "Some furniture helped shield him from the blast but it was, unfortunately, also responsible for most of the trauma." Healer Brewster pointed out various features on the diagnostic images. "Four broken ribs on his right side which also punctured his right lung, causing it to collapse. We were able to mend the ribs, re-inflate his lung, and drain it of fluid. He may wheeze and find deep breaths difficult for a couple of days." Adrian scrolled the image downwards. "It appears his right leg was caught in between two objects. Probably whatever he was hurled against and the table that sent him into it. Heavy compression damage to his right knee, all but crushing it. Normally we would have been able to mend it better had we gotten to it sooner but his torso required priority. As such, by the time we could devote our efforts on his knee, we could not mend it as well as we wished. We were able to regenerate most of the bone fragments that were missing, this pin here is permanent, I'm afraid, and this one up here as well. He should regain about 75% usage of his leg with some physical therapy. Prolonged usage of his leg will probably cause discomfort from now on, a cane will probably alleviate that." Adrian scrolled the image upwards. "He sustained a concussion as well. The good news is that we find no fractures and no swelling of the brain. However, this is not his first concussion and repeat occurrences are always a worry. Hence, we wish to keep him for observation for a couple days. He also sustained a few minor burns but we treated them with no complications. Shouldn't even leave a scar."

Luna nodded. "_Lord knows he has enough of those on the outside and inside._", she thought. "Will he really be unconscious for the next couple of days?", Luna asked.

"Most likely. I wish I could give an exact time when he'll wake up but there is no telling."

Luna nodded and moved next to the head of her husband's bed. She leaned down and kissed his cheek ever so gently. Healer Brewster murmured something about paperwork as he dispelled the images he conjured and silently backed away to give the couple some privacy. Luna sat down and took Neville's hand gently in hers. She leaned in toward his ear to whisper. "I'd like to believe that you can hear me Neville. I just want you to know that I'm here and I'm waiting for you to come back for me, just like you have done for me. I don't know if you're dreaming right now, but I hope I'm there for you too." Luna brought his hand up to her lips as she began her vigil.

At some point, Luna briefly left Neville's bedside to update her friends and relatives on his condition. There was a collective sigh of relief that Neville's survival was assured but some consternation at his condition. The group agreed to take turns checking up on the couple and to provide logistics. Luna was hesitant at the idea of imposing on everyone but Augusta made it very clear that it was no imposition and she insisted that the only thing Luna needed to worry about was when Neville would regain consciousness. Indeed, Luna spent all of her time at St. Mungo's. The staff had set up a cot for her next to Neville's bed. It was clear from anyone who met her that the term, "Visiting Hours", meant nothing to Luna and she would not be separated from her husband. True to their words, her friends and Neville's grandmother brought a steady supply of meals. Augusta had insisted that Luna eat something other than "hospital food". Hermione and Ginny had brought in books at Luna's request, which she read to Neville as she waited.

Two days had passed since Luna had begun her vigil and she was reading to Neville from a Muggle book, _The Outsiders_, that Hermione had brought her. Luna thought it was an oddly titled book but the story was quite engaging. She kept her voice soft and low so as not to disturb anyone else in the ward. Still, she hoped that somehow her voice would reach him. Luna was in mid-sentence when she felt it. It was a light squeeze of his hand around hers, so light that Luna thought she might have imagined it. As she looked down to their joined hands, she felt it again. This time there was no doubt, she saw his hand flex to curl around hers. She looked up to see his eyelids flutter and his head roll back and forth a bit. Luna's heart leapt as she leaned in toward Neville's face. His eyes slowly came open, disoriented, and took a moment to focus on her. His mouth opened and a raspy, croaking sound came forth, not unlike something she once heard from Trevor. Luna realized his mouth must have been parched and reached for a glass of water with a straw that the staff had provided for just this reason. "Not too much all at once", she cautioned as she moved the straw away after a couple sips.

Neville took a moment longer to stare at her as he tried to speak again. "I'm alive?"

"Yes, of course silly! Why else would you be here?"

"I thought I was looking at an angel for a moment."

Luna smiled despite their surroundings. "You must have sustained a concussion to think that. I haven't brushed my hair or touched any make-up for days now."

Neville shook his head slightly. "I've never seen anything more beautiful."

Luna simply smiled as she leaned in to give him a gentle kiss on his lips. "Please don't ever do this do me again Neville. When Harry showed up at our door, I had thought the worst."

"Harry was the one they sent to tell you? Poor fellow, I don't think I would've have wanted that duty."

Luna realized at that moment that while she and her two friends dreaded the thought of each other's husbands showing up with bad news, the men must have dreaded the thought of having to go to any of the women's homes for the same reason. "I hadn't really thought of it that way until now. He did have a rather difficult time of it."

"I can only imagine. How are you feeling?"

Luna nearly laughed. "I should be the one asking you that. Aside from my disheveled appearance, I'm fine. What about you? Are you in pain?"

"Some, kind of all over. More on the right side it seems."

"That is where most of your injuries were."

"How long have I been out?"

"It's been two days."

Neville closed his eyes as he let the news sink in. When he opened them again he directed his gaze to his wife. "You've been here this whole time?" Luna nodded. "I'm sorry to have put you through all this."

"You've nothing to apologize for. You didn't do this on purpose."

"All the same, I'm sorry to have worried and stressed you so much."

Luna patted his hand reassuringly. "There'll be no more talk of that nature. I knew the risks when I decided to be with you." Neville squeezed her hand gently in silent thanks. "If you're able, I think the healers will want to speak with you. And after that, there are quite a few others who will probably want some of your time as well."

"I've been asleep for long enough. I think I'm ready to be awake for a while."

**Author's Note: This chapter turned out longer than I expected. I had intended for the recovery scene to be shorter and I would fold the next chapter into this one. I just felt that I shouldn't rush this chapter.**

**I forgot to mention something in my notes waaay back in Chapter Two: A lignum vitae is a type of tree that is known for being a slow grower. I figured there might be a magical species somewhere out there.**

**Back in Chapter Eight, there is a reference to Baren's white tea. Baren's is reference to Barings Bank, the defunct British financial institution that was taken down by a commodities trader who lost huge sums of money and used administrative legerdemain to cover it up until the bank became insolvent. One man was able to take down one of the oldest and most distinguished banks in the country.**

**Back in Chapter Eleven, there is a reference to an amaranthine lotus. Amaranthine means a purple-type color.**

**Something I should probably clarify: If it isn't already very apparent, I speak American English. I know a little about British English and a few British idioms from the UK fellows I work with. However, more American English has crept into their speech than British English has crept into mine. As such, I won't try to write in British English as I simply can't and I don't want to write something that would make you cringe more than you already might be doing. Also, I think if I tried, it would be a serious affront to any UK folks reading this.**

**Many thanks again to everyone who is reading this and special thanks to Weasley-Ronnie for keeping up the steady reviews! Apologies for the slowed pace, I'm doing a lot of work on the new home right now.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

It was a mostly sunny day, with scattered low and mid-level clouds drifting lazily through the sky. There was a cool breeze that helped keep the temperature pleasant. Neville reflected that just about anyone would have thought that it was an absolutely beautiful day. However, he found it difficult to harbor any such thoughts on this day, because this day was Alexander McIntyre's funeral. Neville had just been released from St. Mungo's the day before. He was glad to be home, even if it was just in time to attend Alex's funeral. As it was, he was still very fatigued and unsteady on his feet. Walking with a cane was going to take some getting used to and he had just started two days earlier. Thankfully, Luna was there to help him along.

Alex's father, Robert McIntyre, was a Muggle and a distinguished veteran of the famed Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders infantry regiment of the Scottish Division of the British Army. Alex's mother, Lorraine, was a witch and had informed her husband of that fact before they had been married. He had taken to news of the wizarding world with surprising calm and ease. Robert was also understanding regarding his son's manifestation of magical abilities and supportive of Alex attending Hogwarts. He was initially, slightly disappointed when his son had chosen not to follow the family legacy of service in the British Army. However, his opinion changed when he discovered that aurors were the closest equivalent to a standing military in the wizarding world and that Alex had decided to join their ranks. Robert was filled with pride that his son had chosen to serve his country and that was more than good enough for him. On this day however, Robert could not help but feel a slight sense of regret since he now had to do what no parent should ever have to. Today, he had to bury one of his own children. With help from the chief inspector of the division Alex served in, Robert made every effort for his son to be buried with as close to full military honors as possible.

Neville felt somewhat out of place in front of a seat when so many others would remain standing. The available seats had been reserved for members of the McIntyre family. However, the McIntyre's would not accept him standing in his current condition and insisted that he sit. Neville accepted to avoid offending their hospitality while Luna took up a position behind him. As he watched the casket being removed from the horse-drawn caisson, Neville thought back to the church service only minutes earlier. Neville thought that the minister at Alex's childhood church had summed it best when he began by stating that this was the sort of service one wishes that they will never have to attend. By the time the clergyman finished, there was hardly a dry eye in the church. A detail of bagpipers skirled "Balmoral Retreat" as the group of aurors serving as pallbearers, led by the minister, carried Alex to his final resting place. Neville knew that were it not for his recovering injuries, he probably would have been one of the pallbearers. He knew the casket was relatively light, it had remained closed throughout the service. There had not been much left of Alex and was left was not fit for viewing. A few sandbags had been added as ballast to balance out the load on the pallbearers. A bright Union Jack flag was draped over the casket while a floral arrangement, adorned with a small blue flag with a white St. Andrew's cross, rested on top. The pallbearers set the casket above the gravesite as the minister took up his position to begin the gravesite service and the mourners took their seats.

As the minister delivered the final prayers at the gravesite, Neville found his thoughts drifting as he looked over to Alex's family. It was not an overly sunny day but Neville, like many others, wore sunglasses. They were not necessary but everyone knew that the real reason they were wearing them had nothing to do with solar intensity. Neville hoped that his tinted lenses hid his observation or at least made it less obvious. Alex's widow, Karen, was a mask of barely suppressed grief. Alex's young son, Gavin, fidgeted in his seat next to her while Robert and Lorraine sat on either side of them. As the minister concluded, Neville realized that he not heard much of his words. "_It's alright_", Neville thought, "_I've heard similar ones at similar occasions enough times already. The words and even the language may differ but the sentiment is always the same: 'Dear God, we are sending a good man back to you. Thanks for letting us have him for a while.'_"

Neville struggled to his feet along with the mourners who had been seated but were veterans or on active duty (Muggle and wizard), as the flag was lifted off the casket and pulled taut by the pallbearers. The floral arrangement had been removed and presented to Alex's mother. A detail of riflemen from the Royal Regiment of Scotland, the descendent unit of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, came to attention and readied their weapons. "_Robert really thought of everything_", Neville thought, "_Right down to the last detail._" He mentally braced himself, for he knew what was coming next. The bull roar of the colour sergeant's commands moved the riflemen into action and the first report of the rifle salvo echoed across the cemetery. Most of the assembled mourners had never heard gunfire before and visibly started at the sound. Neville felt Luna's hand tighten around his own as she did so. He noticed that Alex's father did not. He also noticed Karen's shoulders jerk slightly with each of the three salvoes. To Gavin's credit, the thundering reports merely caused him to grip his mother's arm and lean into her. After the last salvo, a lone bugler brought his instrument to his lips and began sounding "Last Post", the traditional bugle call to signify the end of a duty day and, when necessary, the end of life. The flag was folded neatly during this time and the Director of the Auror Service himself knelt before Karen and placed the folded flag in her hands. He voice was a mere whisper but Neville was close enough to hear his words, "On behalf of Her Majesty's government, the Minister of Magic, and a grateful nation, we present this flag to you with our most sincere condolences and deepest sympathies." Neville knew the words had been whispered to avoid mentioning magic any louder than absolutely necessary. Besides, traditionally, those words were very quiet anyways.

The service was over. Most of the mourners began filing silently away but Alex's fellow aurors lingered behind for one last tradition. As the aurors filed past, Neville watched as Karen buried her face into the flag cradled in her arms, as her shoulders began to shake with her muffled sobs. Neville joined the queue and as his place came up, he handed his cane to Luna (Neville had informed her and she knew what needed to be done), and knelt next to the polished casket. He reached into his coat pocket and drew out a small lapel pin of the insignia of the Auror Service. He placed it on the lid of Alex's casket and, with a tap of his wand, the pin embedded itself into the polished wood, alongside more than a dozen others. As Neville struggled back to his feet, Luna helped him up and handed his cane back to him. The two of them had walked a short distance away when Neville paused to look back. Robert was kneeling at the head of Alex's casket, his forehead resting on the polished wood. After a moment, Robert slowly drew himself up to a position of attention and snapped out his best parade ground salute to his fallen son. Neville turned away, he didn't want to watch what would happen next, and he especially could not bear to watch Karen's face any longer. The two of them continued toward the gates of the cemetery, their progress was slow due to Neville's awkward gait. His leg was still stiff and walking with a cane was going to take some getting used to.

Luna could not help but wonder exactly what thoughts her husband was surely torturing himself with in his mind. Since Neville had opened up to her, she had seen more of the weight upon his mind and the darkness that had touched his soul through his experiences. Therefore, she had an idea of what was troubling him but she had to admit that she had not ever seen him in this state before. Luna had seen him when he had the passage of time to deal with the loss of friends and comrades. She had never seen him when the loss was fresh. Luna found that she was slightly apprehensive at how Neville might react, what she could do in response, and if her efforts would be enough. Neville paused before a stone statue of an angel. Luna had thought he might have wanted to rest his leg for a moment until his voice abruptly shook her out of her thoughts, "It's started out as such a nice day. It's such a shame it had to rain."

Luna was slightly confused. For a moment she thought that was usually Neville's role and it was usually her words that were the cause. She recovered quickly and realized the sun was still shining brightly with only a few clouds in the sky. As Luna turned to address her husband, what she saw quickly made sense to her mind and pulled at her heart. Trails of tears streamed out from underneath Neville's tinted lenses and ran down his cheeks. Luna found she had to worry her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment as she felt her own eyes well up. Neville had made his comment for obvious reasons and Luna now felt she had to find a way to answer without sounding trite or ignoring his emotions. She knew he was trying to be strong and she wanted to let him know that his grief was perfectly normal. Luna tightened her arm around his, rested her other hand on his upper arm, and leaned her head against him as they stood before the angel statue. She felt her own tears begin to spill down her cheeks as she finally found her voice. "Yes, it is a shame it had to rain today."

**Author's Note: This chapter is for my friends who answered the call to defend our nation, headed downrange, and didn't make it back.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

Neville tried not to tense his muscles. He knew that if he did so, even his mere thoughts would cause minute shifts in his body that would telegraph his next move to his opponent. Neville tried to relax, stay light on his feet, and not flat footed. He also tried to remain alert and focused to read the same signals from his opponent that he was attempting to conceal coming from himself. All without tensing up. This was easier said than done as Neville was starting to feel fatigued and his right knee was starting to bother him. He tried to push that aside for the time being. "_There_", Neville thought, "_That slight turn of his wrist cants the blade as he begins his attack._" Neville had less than a second to process this information and react as his opponent launched the tip of the fencing saber at his chest. With a shift of his feet and seemingly mere flick of his elbow, Neville parried the incoming thrust and brought his own saber downward against his opponent's shoulder.

"ARRET!", the referee bellowed. Neville and his opponent immediately stepped back from each other. "Touch for blue. Bout to blue." Neville and his opponent removed their masks and shook hands. As he moved to the sidelines to put away his gear, Neville's eyes caught sight of a mane of blonde hair in the bleachers of the Auror Service's gym. He smiled as shouldered his bag and walked somewhat stiffly over to Luna. She kindly came down to the floor level so that he would not have to climb steps to meet her.

"It looks like you're still in good form. Well done Neville.", Luna smiled.

For a moment, Neville found himself taken back a few years at her words. "Thanks. I didn't expect to see you here, I thought you were still working on your manuscript."

"I needed a break. I figured I would come watch a few bouts."

"Sorry, that was my last one."

"It's alright. How's your leg?"

"A little stiff but I'm alright."

"Are you sure you're not pushing yourself too hard?"

"I'm fine Luna. Don't worry, I'm not straining it and I keep the number of bouts I participate in to a minimum."

"Just so you're not trying to do too much on it. You remember what happened last time."

"I learned my lesson and I won't forget it. You have my word."

"That's good enough for me. Anyways, isn't this a bit unfair? Gryffindor's Swordsman beating up on all these youngsters?"

Neville chuckled. "Luna, these kids all have the edge on me in mobility. They just need to work on their footwork if they haven't figured that out. Maybe it's good that Gryffindor's Swordsman is here to impart some sage lessons to them."

"Well, we'd best get you home before your avid students come clamoring for more sage advice and then who knows when I'll see you. They'll probably seek advice on how to deal with large, vicious reptiles…", Luna trailed off with a smile.

"You're right, let's go home."

_Later On_

Neville was stripping off his sweat-dampened clothing in preparation for a nice, hot shower when there came a soft knock at the bedroom door. "Come in." Luna entered the room with a rather serious look on her face. Neville had seen looks like that before. "Something on your mind dear?"

"I watched you today."

"I know. I eventually saw you in the bleachers. I hope you weren't bored."

"I wasn't. I watched a few of your bouts."

"I know I'm a bit rusty but ever since graduation, I don't fence that often."

"That's not it. I watched the way you competed. You're not broken Neville."

"Excuse me?", Neville replied with genuine confusion.

"You're not broken. You go out there and you compete like you're trying to prove something."

"No, I don't.", Neville said rather defensively.

"Yes, you do", Luna insisted. "You don't see it because you can't. I only can because I am watching you from the outside. You move, parry, attack, riposte, everything like you're trying to prove that everyone is wrong about something."

Neville thought for moment and came to realize her words did hold some grains of truth. "I'm not trying to prove anything."

Luna continued, "You need to realize you're not broken. You need to stop treating yourself like you are. You need to stop trying to prove to yourself that you aren't. I think that's why you push yourself like the way you do out there." She stepped forward to take Neville's hand. "Now you listen to me." Neville found it difficult, as he had on several other occasions, to disobey her when she directed her piercing, wide-eyed gaze at his own eyes. "You are still Neville. You are still everything you were before and more today. You just need to be reminded of that." Luna stepped forward on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his.

"You don't miss anything do you? It's almost like you see into my mind before I know what thoughts pass through it.", Neville stated as she pulled back.

"I just have the benefit of knowing you quite well. Now, regarding what I was talking about…"

Neville held her gaze with a knowing one of his own. "I kind of need a shower."

"So do I", Luna stated matter-of-factly and she led him into the bathroom.

_Later that Night_

Neville tightened his arm around Luna's waist, savoring the feel of bare skin to bare skin as they slowly drifted off to sleep. "Luna?", he asked softly.

"Hmmm?", came her drowsy reply.

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome dear. I love you.", Luna answered sleepily as she patted his arm around her with her hand.

"I love you too." Nothing more needed to be said. Luna knew what Neville was speaking of and he did not have to elaborate further. Neville nuzzled his face against her hair as he let his sleepiness overtake him.

_Some Weeks Later_

Neville tried to relax but found it difficult to do so when his future was, quite literally, about to be decided in the next few minutes by a group of rather intimidating-looking, senior aurors. He was seated at a board convened to determine whether or not he would continue in active service or not. The head of the Personnel Bureau of the Auror Service himself was chairing the board. Inspector Chen and the deputy to the chief inspector of the Narcotics Division were seated in the gallery seats behind Neville to lend moral support. Harry managed to make time to attend as well but Ron was away on an assignment. Neville found himself wishing Luna were here as well but she was away on a research trip. She had tried her best to make time to attend but it could not be helped. Luna did promise that she would try to return soon no matter what the outcome would be.

Superintendent Gordon Davis was an efficient and fastidious administrator. That rare combination of qualities had led to his current posting. He often lamented that his spectacles seemed to get thicker every couple of years and he was convinced that it was all the paperwork that was the cause. His days of chasing down dark wizards had long since passed but Gordon didn't really miss them. He knew that someone had to do his job and he had the right qualities for it. Even so, on days like this, he had to admit that there were times that he did not enjoy his job quite so much. Looking over the records of younger, more active aurors took him back to his own younger years. The part he especially did not like was making difficult decisions like whether or not they would continue to become old aurors like himself. Neville rose as Gordon called his name.

"Auror Neville Longbottom, badge number 24601. This personnel review board has been convened to determine your fitness to continue on active duty with the Auror Service of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. After extensive review of your physiological evaluation, the board reluctantly concurs with the recommendation of the evaluating healer staff to remove you from active duty. In light of your distinguished service record, the board recommends medical retirement with pension. The evaluating healer staff has concurred with this recommendation as well. As a reminder, the recommendations of the healer and personnel boards are forwarded to the Minister of Magic's office. All decisions and findings are considered pending until approved or disapproved by the Minister or his delegated authority. The board advises Auror Longbottom not to make any significant life plans or decisions until such time." Superintendent Davis removed his spectacles as he leaned back from his prepared statement. "Auror Longbottom", he began in a gentle tone, "I want you to know that the board did not make this decision lightly and it was one of the most difficult that I have had to face in my career. I have rarely seen someone with more heart and persistence than you. It was with great disappointment that we are losing a fine gentleman such as yourself. However, I want you to know that the service will assist you in your transition period and you will retain access to our resources as best as we can assist you. I truly do wish you the best in your future endeavors."

And with that, Neville realized he was no longer an auror. True, Davis had said the service would help him but it still didn't change the fact that Neville was not quite sure in which direction he wanted to be helped. His friends clapped their hands on his shoulders and offered words of sympathy and support but everyone knew there was little that could be said that would be truly comforting at the moment. Mercifully, the Personnel Bureau had scheduled his outprocessing later in the week instead of directly after the board meeting. Neville wasn't sure he would have been able to wade through all the paperwork and might have inadvertently agreed to a life insurance policy for his mimbulus mimbletonia had he tried to in his current mental state.

Although Neville's mind was not quite completely coherent, somehow he managed to send an owl to Luna. He wasn't sure if there was really anything Luna could say or do to make everything better but he found himself wishing for her presence nonetheless. He managed to muddle through the next two days when Luna abruptly returned. As she swept through the doorway and all but tackled him in a fierce embrace, Neville had to admit that he did feel just a little bit better.

_Some Weeks Later_

Luna observed her husband intently as he shuffled through stacks of parchment and paper. From all outward appearances, it did not look like she was doing so. In fact, it did not look like there was much activity going on inside her head at all. To those that did not know Luna Longbottom well, even back when her surname was Lovegood, her current expression was not uncommon and was often misinterpreted as her "goofing off" or "spacing out". To those that did know her, they knew that the look on Luna's face meant the gears in her brain were turning at very high RPMs. To those that truly knew her well, they knew that Luna's brain never truly stopped moving along at anything less than a skipping pace. Luna was now applying her quiet intellect toward her troubled husband. Neville had been trying valiantly to transition to civilian life with mixed results. True to their word, the Auror Service had tried to help him transition. However, there was really only so much even they could do. Truth be told, all the departments of the ministry were still in various stages of restoring their reputation even years after Voldemort's influence had tainted them. Being a ministry employee still did not have quite the prestige it once possessed. Perhaps in a few more years, the reputation would be fully restored but this was not helping Neville at present. Fortunately, Neville's experience with rare and unusual flora and illicit substances had given him a unique skillset. His talents had been called upon by his former colleagues on several occasions. Neville had been brought in as a special consultant on several cases and this provided a bit more income to bolster his medical retirement pension. However, this was not regular employment or income. Unfortunately, Neville's unique skillset was also a double-edged sword as not many civilian careers required said skills. Luna knew that Neville was smart, determined, hard-working, and loyal. He just needed to find his path, maybe a nudge in the right direction. After a moment, Luna's eyes lit up as a figurative light bulb illuminated above her head. She needed an owl and the receptive ear of a certain someone. "_I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner._", she thought, "_Must be those pesky wrackspurts…_"

_A Couple Weeks Later_

Luna walked through the doorway with her arms full of groceries. Neville rose to help her with her burden. "Sorry, I didn't come along to help you, looks like you could have used it."

"No worries dear. I was able to manage. How was the visit?"

Neville still could not quite believe it but several days prior, he had received a letter from Pomona Sprout, professor of herbology at Hogwarts. She offered her sympathies with his forced retirement and asked to pay a visit. Neville could hardly deny one of his favorite instructors of his favorite subject. Luna had taken the opportunity to get the grocery shopping done in the meantime. "It was great! I really enjoyed talking with her. Her visit wasn't entirely a social one though."

"Oh?", Luna inquired as she put away some perishables.

"Sprout has a mind that I might have the makings of a teacher."

"Neville Longbottom, professor of herbology? I assume it would be herbology, right? Has a nice ring to it."

"I have to admit, it's something that I have toyed with in my mind a few times but I haven't given much serious thought to it."

"Is it something you're really interested in?"

"It is. I think I'd be good at it since I know the subject fairly well. It's just…really? Me? A teacher?"

"I think you would make a fine teacher Neville."

"I'm just not sure I'm cut out for that. Or that I have the temperament for it."

"I don't think you give yourself enough credit. Severus Snape was a teacher for how long at Hogwarts? Would you say he was good with children?"

"True…"

"And you wouldn't want someone like Gilderoy Lockhart teaching again would you?"

"Good Lord, no!"

"So, I don't think you give yourself enough credit."

"Professor Sprout said something very similar."

"Smart lady, that one."

"Life in academia. Neville Longbottom, a teacher. Who'd have thought?", Neville mused.

"Just make sure it's something you truly want. I want my husband to be happy with what he does with his life."

"Sprout said something like that too. Not the husband part, the first part."

Luna threw him an understanding smile as she poured herself a glass of pumpkin juice. "As I said before, smart lady, that one. I'm glad she paid you a visit Neville. It looks as if your mood has brightened already."

"I realized I've been moping a bit. Sorry to bring a dark cloud into our home."

"It's perfectly understandable Neville. You've been through a lot and your mind has been preoccupied. If I didn't know better, I'd say the nargles were behind all of it just to test us."

Neville smiled. "Nargles or not, I think we'll get through this."

Luna gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Of course we will! This is us we're talking about." She took a long pull from her glass, running errands could leave one with parched throat.

Neville reached behind a chair and produced a pair of familiar trainers. "By the way, Professor Sprout said to return these to you. You left them in the forest when you fed the thestrals after visiting her."

Luna's eyes widened as she abruptly spat out pumpkin juice. She coughed as she choked on the mouthful she had started to swallow. It took a lot to shock Luna but Neville's words may as well have been a lightning bolt. Neville gave her a few hearty thumps on her back as she cleared her lungs. "Oh dear, terribly sorry about that. That wasn't quite the reaction I was expecting."

"Neville", Luna began in a slightly raspy voice, "I can explain-"

"It's alright Luna. I'm not irritated that you visited Professor Sprout. In fact, I'm kind of glad you did."

"You are?"

Neville nodded. "I know I've been in a bit of a slump and I probably needed the nudge in a direction. The fact that you went to her proves you know me well."

"I thought that would be the best choice."

"I only would've have been puzzled if you had visited Professor Trelawney instead."

Luna managed to laugh despite still coughing a bit. "So, did Professor Sprout say anything else about you becoming a teacher?"

"She did actually, we talked at great length about the world of magical academia. It actually shares some traits with Muggle academia."

"Does it? I've never really given that much thought."

"Neither had I, at least not until now. One thing that the two academic worlds share is publishing."

"Publishing?"

"Publishing. They won't let anyone just stroll in to become a teacher, no matter how great a student they were."

"I still don't think I follow."

"I believe Professor Sprout's exact words were furthering the field. Expanding the knowledge base. For something like transfiguration, that would mean discovering new ways to manipulate matter. For potions that would mean brewing new concoctions or finding improved ways for existing ones." Luna nodded for Neville to continue. "For herbology, that means discovering new plants, new methods of cultivation, etc. And this new learning must be documented and subjected to peer review to ensure quality and legitimacy. Hence, one is all but required to be published."

"This means you'll become an author as well? Writing books?"

"At the very least, articles. I thought I may be able to rely on your advice as this is something you're probably more familiar with."

"I'd be happy to help. But if you'll need to do research…"

"Exactly. So, when is your next trip going to be, where are you going, and might I accompany you?"

Luna had to admit, she was half-thrilled that Neville would be coming with her as that meant they would be spending more time together. She looked forward to seeing new places and sharing adventures with him. Luna was also eager to introduce Neville to the joys of camping and the great outdoors. She also had to admit she thought he was safer even out in the wilderness with her. At least no creatures were trying to kill him out of some personal vendetta…probably. Luna was also happy that she no longer had to tether herself to something solid in her tent to prevent her from sleepwalking out into the wilderness. With Neville beside her, she didn't sleepwalk that much anyways. However, Luna found herself half-concerned about Neville joining her on her trips. Neville's nerves and reflexes were still a bit on the twitchy side. Should he be surprised from behind or his flanks, he might vaporize whatever threat he perceived to be out there rather than simply subdue it. Luna also quickly realized that for all that his former job had taught him, fieldcraft skills were not too high on that list. The two of them also worried a bit if they would be able to adapt to a life where they spent more time together, since they had gotten used to a life where they spent a significant amount of time apart. The beginnings of this new direction in their life together had a bit of a rough start and they found more sharp words exchanged than usual. Thankfully, blessedly, they found that with a healthy amount of patience and understanding, the challenges were overcome and Neville eventually became an asset to Luna's excursions rather than a worrisome concern. Admittedly, they wished it had taken less than two trips to figure everything out. The pair found that if they adhered to a few ground rules, things usually worked out well for them:

Neville was no longer allowed to pick campsites ever since "The Quicksand Incident".

If Luna kept any creatures for further study, they were to be kept secure overnight. Although cute and cuddly, Neville was not amused to awaken to one such creature perched on his head and peering into his face from mere centimeters away.

If Neville collected any plant specimens, he was to clearly mark them if they were hazardous. This was after an unfortunate incident in which Luna mistook samples that possessed hallucinogenic properties for consumables and attempted to cook with them. It took hours for Neville to get Luna out of that tree.

A silencing charm on their tent was necessary as Neville's snoring was once mistaken by a large, hoofed creature as a mating call.

The silencing charm was also necessary for noises produced during other activities Luna and Neville engaged in at night. Again, a creature mistook the sounds for something else entirely and the results were not pretty. Luna could hardly be blamed for not knowing about this as these were situations she did not have to deal with on her previous trips.

Neville was to refrain from using carnivorous or aggressive plants to fend off aggressive creatures.

Luna was to refrain from using aggressive creatures to fend off carnivorous or aggressive plants.

Luna was far better at making first contact with locals, be it people or magical creatures. Neville did not dispute that for a moment.

When it came down to it, both of them had to admit that they could get used to this sort of life.

**Author's Note: Apologies for the lengthy time in between updates. Been busy doing work on the new house.**

**One thing that I have always wondered about is if there is any education beyond Hogwarts for wizards and witches? Are there universities? Do people get bachelors, masters, or doctorate degrees? How does one become a professor? I decided to base my writings on real world academia. I imagine it would take quite some time working in a given field to be entrusted to teach the subject at the only source of education in the country for young wizards and witches. After all, you wouldn't want to trust something so critical to someone unproven or new, no matter how good of student they were, would you? Besides, who says an herbologist spends all of his/her time in greenhouse with no travelling? Botanists will sometimes travels to exotic places, why not herbologists? Plus, it's a chance for these two characters to spend more time together.**

**Neville's badge number is reference to the musical version of Les Miserables.  
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**Thanks to everyone for indulging me on the previous chapter. I know it was a heavy subject but it is one that means something special to me. Special thanks again to Weasley-Ronnie for the faithful reviews and thank you to wildchilde17 for reviewing!**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is meant purely in tribute to the original work.**

Luna had to admit that the day had turned out beautifully. The sun was shining brightly with only scattered clouds in the sky and a light breeze kept the temperature quite comfortable. As she made her way up the slight hill, she mused that this was the type of day that would have brought Neville out of the greenhouse and into the garden. Perhaps he would have taken the time to show her a new and interesting plant. Or maybe they would have just strolled through the garden and contented themselves with each other's company. The thought brought a small smile to Luna's face as she arrived at her destination. "_This should have been a happier day_", she thought as her smile slowly faded, "_Today is Neville's birthday. Or rather, it would have been._" Luna set the arrangement of colorful, assorted wildflowers at the base of a marble headstone that bore Neville Longbottom's name. "Happy Birthday Neville", Luna quietly greeted the monument. As she had for several years in a row now, Luna sat before Neville's final resting place and began speaking. She talked about her year in review, the places she had visited, the creatures she had encountered, the wondrous sights she had taken in, and her latest article or book in the works. Luna also caught him up on their old friends' lives and their friends' children. If one were to close their eyes, one would think that Luna was really holding a conversation, albeit with a very quiet, old friend. As Luna ran out of updates, she brought her one-sided conversation to a close as she had for the past several years, "I love you and miss you Neville. I still see you in my dreams. I hope you still see me in yours." As she had in the past years as she departed, Luna waved to the groundskeeper on her way out. He had already come to expect Luna's regular visits on this day, no one else visited that grave. As she had in the past years, Luna tried to make it to the cemetery gates without tears escaping her eyes. She had yet to succeed.

_Later On_

A tapping sound at her window made Luna pause as she buttoned her pajamas. Her orange and white tabby, Trevor, looked up as well at the sound. As she looked out her window she smiled as she recognized Ginny's owl. She accepted the proffered letter and slipped the bird a treat as the owl departed. "Care to hear what Ginny has to say?", Luna asked her pet. Trevor merely gave a characteristic feline yawn and curled up on her bad, his curiosity satisfied. Luna read through the letter quickly. Most of it was Ginny asking how Luna was doing, inviting her to dinner yet again, asking how she was doing, stating that she knew it was Neville's birthday, asking how she was doing, apologizing for not joining Luna in visiting but kids take up time like nothing else, hinting to Luna to move on with her life, and, last but certainly not least, asking Luna how she was doing. Luna never blamed any of her friends for not visiting Neville with her. She knew they had families to care for, lives to live. One only had so many hours in a day. As for the rest, Luna always reminded Ginny that she was indeed moving forward in her life whenever the red-headed girl asked. But deep down inside, she knew what Ginny really meant. And Luna knew that Ginny knew that Luna knew what she meant. Thankfully, her old friend didn't push the issue…too hard. When it came down to it, Luna found that she just couldn't move on. Days like this, especially this day, reminded her why.

Luna remembered Neville's plea so many years ago to continue their long distance relationship. Even though she still loved him, she was convinced it would not work out in the long run. They kept in touch and were cordial to each other. At any occasion where they were both present, she could feel his eyes on her even when she wasn't looking. Luna was sure Neville could feel it when she did the same to him. But it wouldn't have worked out, and that was that. Then came that horrible day. Luna still remembered that it had been a Thursday. Harry had shown up at her door in what she thought had been a pleasant surprise. Ginny had convinced her husband to visit Luna in person to convey the news to her. It turned out that it was a wise choice. Harry had informed Luna that Neville's luck had run out. One of the makeshift labs he had been investigating had gone up and this time, Neville was not one of the ones to survive the explosion. It wasn't as if Neville had been her husband or was even her boyfriend anymore. But it turned out that little details like that didn't really matter at that point. The news hit Luna with all the force of a sledgehammer. Harry would remark later on to Ginny that the stricken look on Luna's face was as bad as some widows he had witnessed receiving similar news.

Luna wished that she had at least some façade of saying good-bye. She had not been able to see Neville one last time. To see his face, even in repose, and tell him she was sorry, that she still loved him, and that she would see him in her dreams. Unfortunately, Neville's remains had not been fit for viewing. A part of Luna also regretted that she was not listed as Neville's next-of-kin. The flag at the funeral had gone to his grandmother. Only a year later, Augusta Longbottom was gone as well. The toll of her son suffering a fate worse than death and having to bury her grandson had been too much for her to bear. Much to Luna's surprise, Augusta had directed in her will that the flag that had draped Neville's coffin be passed on to her. Luna was both grateful to the older woman and impressed with her powers of observation.

As Ginny had suggested on a semi-regular basis, Luna did try to move on. She really did make a sincere effort. However, she found that she could not help but measure every prospect against the memory of a certain tall, dark-haired, and endearingly shy and clumsy man. Luna couldn't fool herself even if she earnestly tried. All she had to do was look at her pet cat to be reminded of the source of his name if she ever forgot. And Luna never forgot. Despite her success in her endeavors to discover new creatures and her adventures in new locales, she could not help but feel there was a void in her life. Despite Trevor's propensity to cuddle, he just did not provide the warmth of another human being. Of a certain someone. As Luna laid down and pulled the covers over her, she found herself wishing sleep would come quickly, so that she might find some comfort in her dreams. At the same time, she dreaded slumber since those same dreams would leave her lonely when she awoke. Instead, she found herself tossing and turning restlessly, to the point where even Trevor lost his patience and headed for the floor. To Luna's mild frustration, she found her cheeks wet with tears once more. She sighed and turned over once more in an effort to become comfortable.

*blink*

Luna rolled over as she was abruptly pulled from her dream. Her restless motion brought her husband awake as well.

"You alright?", Neville asked in a sleepy voice filled with concern.

"Yes dear", Luna drowsily answered. She ran her hand over her cheeks to wipe away the remnants of some stray tears.

"Hey, wha…?", Neville whispered, "Tears? What's wrong Luna?"

"Just a bad dream", Luna answered as she shook her head, as if the motion would somehow clear the last of the vivid images from her mind.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Maybe later. Can you just hold me for right now?"

Neville slid his arms around Luna and pulled her into his comforting embrace. Luna nuzzled her head under his chin and settled against him. "_New, unfamiliar home. Must be nargles testing our resolve. Or maybe wrackspurts messing with my mind. Maybe even both._", Luna mused. They had just moved into their new home in Hogsmeade and boxes upon boxes still waited to be unpacked in the other rooms. The exertions of the day had left them with just enough energy to set up their bedroom, bathroom, and part of their kitchen before they collapsed into bed. Neville had just been hired as an associate professor of herbology at Hogwarts and would soon be teaching under the supervision of his old mentor, Professor Pomona Sprout. Hopefully, in a few years, Neville would be granted tenure and status as a full professor. Professor Sprout had hinted that she was looking forward to Neville achieving this goal as she was looking forward to becoming a professor emeritus and then eventually retiring completely.

Luna smiled as she felt Neville press a soft kiss against her hair. She yawned as she was reminded of just how tired she was. While moving was tiring for anyone, she felt doubly fatigued due to her condition. Luna felt Neville's hand slide over her slightly rounded abdomen. Although it was still too early to feel their unborn child kick or stir, Luna knew that Neville liked touching her stomach as a way to feel connected to the life growing within her body. She was just glad that Neville was becoming more comfortable with the concept of fatherhood. Although they had discussed the subject of having children extensively, Luna knew that Neville still harbored doubts about himself and his abilities. Indeed, when Luna had told him she was pregnant, he had smiled and told her how happy he was. Then his nerves got the better of him and he excused himself to go vomit in the bathroom. Had she not known Neville well, she probably would have felt insulted. Since she knew Neville intimately well, Luna was fully expecting it and even had a small waste bin handy just in case he couldn't make it to the toilet.

Luna nuzzled against her husband as she slowly drifted back to sleep, the last vestiges of her unpleasant dream fading away. "I love you Neville Longbottom."

"And I love you, Luna Longbottom. So very, very much."

**The End**

**Author's Note: We've reached the end to this story. While there is certainly more to their lives together, that's a story for another time. That being said, I don't think I'll ever write anything this long again. But never say never. I didn't think I would ever write a fanfic.**

**One of the primary arguments I've heard against Neville and Luna being a couple is that they rarely interact. I don't think that's necessarily the case. Harry Potter is told through the POV of Harry Potter. The majority of the story is told through his or Ron or Hermione's perspective. Almost all of the times you see supporting characters, it is when they are with the primary trio. This is not the Song of Fire and Ice saga by George Martin where the POV changes every few chapters and you learn more about a wider array of characters that way. In Harry Potter, any character development in supporting characters is only seen in their interactions with the primary trio. Does that mean they don't do anything when the primary trio is not around? Of course not! Who's to say Neville and Luna aren't having heart-to-heart conversations off-screen (or off-page)? While that's pure speculation, I like to think it's possible.**

**Another argument I've heard is that they are too opposite. You don't have to be clones to get along. Sometimes, opposites do attract. My wife and I are opposites in many, many ways. For starters, I am a scientist, she is an artist. Despite our differences, we love each other and have been happily married for years. Sometimes, getting out of your comfort zone is a good thing. It usually goes smoother if it's with someone you trust. We do have some hobbies in common, but more importantly, we have morals and values in common. When we first met, we had our doubts, but we knew that we would never know unless we tried. We're both glad we did.**

**And finally, I've heard people assert that you don't always end up with the person you date in school. Very true, but some high school sweethearts do marry and there are many who do stay together. And Hogwarts is not your average school. It seems to be primary, secondary, and university all rolled into one. Also, how many high school students go through life-altering, life-or-death struggles to save the world while they are in school? I'd say that's quite a bonding experience.**

**In the end, you never know where and when you'll find a happy and lasting romance. I've noticed that it usually happens when you least expect it.**

**I'd like to thank everyone who has been reading for sticking with this story, especially with the slowed update pace toward the end. Special thanks for those who submitted reviews and wrote to me regarding the story. I am very grateful for your feedback and support. There are a few chapters that I trashed completely because I just did not like how I wrote them. There are a couple more chapters that I liked but could not figure out how to fit in the sequence of the story. I may post them as standalones. Thanks again and keep reading and writing!**


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